- A veteran singer and his wife have survived a fire in their apartment after his ICU stay for bacterial pneumonia
- The fire broke out on Friday, December 5, and reportedly destroyed four units; the cause remains unknown
- The couple managed to escape, with the musician suffering burns as he tried to stomp out the flames
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American R&B legend Alexander O’Neal, known for his soulful music and collaborations with Prince, is in a life-threatening situation after a fire broke out in his apartment.
Source: Facebook
This tragic incident happened just hours after he returned from a nearly two-week stay in the ICU, following a serious health scare, as reported by People Magazine.
What happened to Alexander O’Neal?
On the morning of Friday, December 5, the 72-year-old O’Neal, along with his wife and manager, Cynthia O’Neal, were rushed to the hospital after a fire broke out in their Burnsville, Minnesota, home.
According to TMZ, the fire started in a third-floor unit, with reports from local news outlets like KARE 11 confirming the emergency.
While Cynthia was released from the hospital shortly after, her husband, who was seen being loaded into an ambulance by a photographer from KARE 11, required additional medical attention.
The soul artist was being monitored for possible lung complications caused by smoke inhalation.
The couple had just returned to their apartment after Alexander’s extended hospital stay, where he had been treated for a severe case of bacterial pneumonia and an enlarged heart.
Cynthia revealed that he had been on life support during the hospital stay.
The cause of the fire, which destroyed four units in the building, is still under investigation. The remaining residents have been allowed to return to their homes.
Cynthia shared the harrowing details of the escape with TMZ. She recalled waking up to Alexander alerting her to the fire.
As she rushed to assess the situation, she noticed two separate fires, one involving a cord connected to Alexander’s oxygen machine, and the other on the floor. Alexander, in an attempt to put out the flames, burned himself while trying to stomp it out with his bare feet.
Source: Facebook
The fire then spread to a mattress, prompting the couple to call 911 and evacuate the apartment.
Due to Alexander’s weakened condition, they were only able to walk a few steps at a time as they made their way down three flights of stairs to safety, inhaling significant amounts of smoke along the way.
“We are just thankful to be alive. We might not have a toothbrush, but we have our car, and our spirits remain high,” Cynthia expressed in a statement to TMZ.
O’Neal, who was once a founding member of The Time, a band closely associated with Prince, has had a career marked by ups and downs, including being fired by Prince himself, as he recalled in a 2022 interview.
Despite these challenges, he continues to inspire with his remarkable music legacy.
2 sisters die while trying to save father from house fire
Elsewhere, a family lost two members following their heroic act as they tried to rescue their father, who was trapped in a house fire.
The father managed to escape together with several other family members, but he painfully lost his daughters.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he is receiving treatment and recuperating after the tragic accident, and an account has been opened to support the family.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
