A Duluth man who died in an arson fire last month set the blaze that claimed his life, police said Thursday.
Roger Ernest Swanson, 57, who had been living at 2626 Jefferson St. in Duluth, died May 28 when firefighters were unable to resuscitate him after removing him from the house about 2 a.m. Swanson's body was found lying in a second-story hallway.
Swanson was an over-the-road trucker who occasionally stayed at his ex-wife's home when in Duluth.
Police investigators determined that Swanson died accidentally. Sgt. Bob Shene, head of the Duluth Police Department Violent Crimes Unit, said the investigation showed that Swanson attempted to leave the upstairs portion of the house before being overcome by smoke and hot gasses.
"I don't know why he started the fire, and I'm not going to speculate on why he started the fire," Shene said.
