Palmer Fire Claims a Life, by Justine Judge, CBS 3, May 14, 2008

Palmer Fire Claims a Life

By Justine Judge
CBS 3
May 14, 2008

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/18954024.html

[with video]

Residents at the Palmer Green Apartment complex woke up to the harsh reality that their friend and neighbor, Jack Corbin a retired priest from South Carolina, is gone after a fire ripped through his apartment around 8:00 Tuesday night.

Neighbor Yvette Gould says, "It's the first big fire we've had in the 20 years since I've been here and it was terrible it was coming out of the roof, oh, the fire engines the cruisers, everything, everything, they threw everything out."

But what resident's didn't see was their friend who lived inside. They were hoping he wasn't home but fire officials discovered the elderly man's lifeless on his first floor apartment after entering the building.

Corbin's Friends are devastated say the community wont be the same without him.

Gould says, "Jack was a very nice man he was very good for the seniors, anytime you needed a ride or a prescription he was there to bring us to the hospital or whatever."

Corbin's friends tell us he had strong ties to the Palmer Green Community. He had moved up here years ago to take care of his parents who actually built the place. In fact there's a plaque in the main office with his father Andre Corbin's name and face engraved right on it which friend's say is the reason he felt he needed to take care of the residents.

Neighbor Jeane Griffon says, "Can I do anything for you can I take you some place you know he would always say if you want a ride to the hospital just let him know."

No one else was injured during Tuesday night's fire. Palmer fire officials are still investigating the exact cause of the fire. They say as of right not it appears it may have started in the living room near a stuffed chair.