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Man Badly Burned Escaping San Jose House Fire

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- A man was badly burned Sunday afternoon as he was rescued from a burning home in San Jose on Lanai Avenue.

At around 2:20 p.m., one of the residents of the home heard screaming. He turned the corner and saw his roommate's room on fire, with the victim trapped in the middle of the flames.

One of the residents (who requested to remain anonymous) told KPIX 5 that the victim, who was identified as Julian Ariaz, had been smoking in his room before, likely accidentally setting the room on fire.

The witness grabbed a hose to try quickly putting out the flames before firefighters arrived and rescued the victim. The firefighters then fully doused the flames.

San Jose Fire Department Capt. Brad Cloutier said that Ariaz was a disabled man in his 60s.

According to the roommate, Ariaz had been battling colon cancer and only had weeks left to live.

"He should've moved into hospice care, but he was too stubborn," said the roommate.

The roommate also said that Ariaz wanted to stay at his home where he has lived at least a decade.

Paramedics rushed Ariaz to Valley Medical Center, but there was no further word on his condition.

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