Marshall B. Drake, 52, has been identified as the victim in a downtown Bowling Green
apartment fire this morning.Bowling Green Police released the name at 10:40 a.m.SEE MORE PHOTOSThe blaze was reported
at 1:11 a.m. at 127 S. Main St. A caller in a second floor apartment reported smelling smoke, but said
they didn’t know the source.Upon the arrival of fire crews, light smoke was observed coming from an
apartment on the second floor. The door was forced and entry was made to the apartment.Inside the
apartment, flames were observed in the area of a bed and the resident was located, and found to have
suffered burns and was not breathing. He was removed from the scene and CPR was initiated. He was
transported to Wood County Hospital at approximately 1:45 a.m. by Mid-County EMS. The man was later
pronounced dead.Central Joint Fire was also called to the scene.Entry was forced into the first floor
businesses at 127 S. Main and 129 S. Main, the Serenity Spa and Salon and the Qdoba restaurant – to
determine if fire had spread. Ceiling tiles were pulled down but no fire damage was found.A fire report
indicated that the man was asleep in his bed when the fire started on the bed. A large hole was
reportedly burned through the floor of the apartment. The man reportedly suffered smoke inhalation, and
burns on his body. Fire Chief Stephen Meredith said the cause of the fire is under investigation.Bowling
Green Fire Division investigators and the State Fire Marshal were called to the scene.A smoke detector
was found in the apartment, but it failed to operate, the report states. The cause of the malfunction
has not been determined.There are eight apartments in the building, and no others were damaged in the
incident.Fire crews remained on-scene until approximately 5:50 a.m.South Main Street was blocked to
traffic between Wooster and Clough streets while fire and ambulance equipment was set up in the street.