A Mercer County man is in fair condition tonight after catching on fire.
David Pinkston’s family says he caught on fire around 11 p.m. on Thursday at his home on Johnson Road near the Rose Hill Community outside Harrodsburg.
According to Pinkston’s sister-in-law, Robin Brooks, Pinkston was in his living room when he caught on fire.
Brooks says Pinkston’s family was home at the time, and his wife was in the kitchen when it happened.
“When she went into the living room and seen that his pants was blazing,” Brooks said, “He was on fire.”
Brooks says the family carried Pinkston outside and managed to pull his pants off of him. She says that when the ambulance came, the family left to follow Pinkston.
“She had thrown his pants back in the house because she thought he might have had some money in his pants,” Brooks said. “And we think that might have been what caused it. They might have been smoldering.”
The family said when they returned home an hour later, their house was filled with flames.
“They've lost everything,” Brooks said. “I mean clothes, food. They have nothing. Nothing.”
Brooks said the house is more than 200-years-old and first belonged to her grandparents.
Pinkston is a Vietnam Veteran and was awarded a Purple Heart. He made three tours in Vietnam.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office has been called-in to lead the investigation.
