An explosion and fire in a home in midtown St Joseph claimed the life of a 64-year-old man early Sunday morning. But, a firewall in the duplex shared by the victim and his 86-year-old father may have saved the older man’s life and his home.

Officials now identify the victim as 64-year-old Larry Pettit. Inspector Steve Henrichson says Pettit tried to set fire to the duplex and then exit through the front door, but the vapors exploded.

Neighbors heard an explosion shortly after 4:30 a.m. Sunday in the 2400 block of El Tivoli Drive, near 22nd Street and US-36 highway.

The duplex was fully involved in flames by the time firefighters arrived. A search and rescue operation was called off when the roof collapsed. Firefighters with the St Joseph Fire Department fell into a defensive posture to put out the fire.

A city crew with a backhoe was called in to pull out some of the remaining roof structures.

Officials are analyzing samples taken from the scene to determine what flammable liquid was used.

Henrichson says the father and son shared the duplex, which was subdivided by a firewall.

“A lot of times we hear contractors say they don’t want to install these, that it’s cost prohibitive, but here’s a perfect example of how it helped,” Hendrichson said.

“The house on the one side is completely destroyed, and the other side suffered some damage at the roof line, but a few thousand dollars and it can be fixed, and be completely liveable, and not have a problem.”

. The father was believed to have suffered some smoke inhalation, and was shaken up over the ordeal, but was not hospitalized. The names of the victims had not been released by mid-day Sunday.