CHESAPEAKE— An elderly Chesapeake man has died of injuries sustained in a house fire at a three-unit apartment complex Friday afternoon.

A spokeswoman for Cabell-Huntington Hospital in Huntington, W.Va., said John Bright, 91, of 11265 County Road 1, died in the burn unit at that hospital Friday night.

Firefighters were called to the Bright residence just after 12:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. Chesapeake-Union Assistant Chief Ed Webb said the fire remains under investigation.

“It appears at this time the fire is accidental,” he said. “ The apartment where the fire started was gutted. The others sustained water damage.

There was some heat damage to one house next door.”

Bright was rescued from the burning building and taken to the hospital with severe burns. an occupant in another apartment who was home at the time of the fire was able to escape safely without assistance.

Approximately 20 firefighters from Chesapeake-Union, Burlington-Fayette and Proctorville volunteer fire departments spent more than four hours at the scene.

“We had tremendous support from the other departments,” Webb said. “The old saying is, it’s hard to find volunteers after noon on Friday but we had three department show up and we appreciate it.”

Webb said the last fatal fire in Chesapeake was in the early 90s.