Man dies in Lacey house fire

A father was killed and his son injured in a fire that destroyed a small house in Lacey Tuesday morning.

Fire crews arrived at the home on the 1200 block of Sleater Kinney Road Southeast around 2 a.m. to find it engulfed in flames, according to Lacey Fire District 3 Battalion Chief Steve Crimmins.

A man was standing outside and told crews his 56-year-old father, Jonathan K. Ensign, was still inside. Firefighters were able to break through a window and have the man out within 7 minutes.

Crews immediately began CPR, and took the father and son to Providence St. Peter Hospital where Ensign was later pronounced dead. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday, according to Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock.

“He’s always kind of an easy going guy and he loved to work on cars,” said Ensign’s brother-in-law, Dennis Kish Sr. “If someone needed help, he wouldn’t hesitate.”

Kish was at what remained of the home, which according to Crimmins was about 500 square feet.

Ensign worked as a mechanic, kept to himself and moved to the small rental home a few years ago with his son after his wife died, Kish said. It was Ensign’s son, Robert, who first woke up to see the smoke and flames.

“They are saying he was lucky he even woke up,” Kish said. “He tried to wake (his father), and usually it takes one time and he’s up.” After calling out to him three or four times, Ensign finally awoke.

“When he did wake up he was real groggy, which he was obviously taking in the smoke or fumes,” Kish said. “When he was trying to get out, he’s taller, and he kept collapsing because he couldn’t get any breathe.”

Kish said Robert tried to get his father out, but couldn’t. He tried to grab a hose to battle the flames, but the fire had already gotten beyond control.

The son ran to a neighbors house and called 911.

Fire crews rescued Ensign within seven minutes and had the fire knocked out within 10 minutes.

The home was a total loss. Damage is estimated at around $40,000.