OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — A dance school with a close connection to the victim of Saturday’s fatal house fire, released information about a memorial service being held later on this week.
Miller-Marley School of Dance and Voice posted on Facebook late Sunday night, informing friends and acquaintances of the house fire victim, about a memorial service being held in his honor on January 17 at 3 p.m.
RELATED: Man dies after being critically injured in morning house fire
Shawn Marley, 54, died Saturday evening at the University of Kansas Hospital after firefighters found him collapsed inside his home during a fire that started just before 9 a.m. that morning.
Neighbors said Marley was well liked and well known in the community.
“Him and his mom owned Miller Marley dance studio,” said Jane Smith, one of Marley’s neighbors. “He just is a very friendly, easy going guy.”
Smith said that in just two weeks Marley would’ve turned 55 years old.
Firefighters said they found Marley in the family room of the home, and that the fire had started near where he lay. Marley had been badly burned.
“My daughter and I walked out there and we saw them performing CPR on him. There was probably about six guys,” said Smith about emergency workers.
Smith said she has lived next to Marley and his partner for many years and said she saw him a couple times a week.
“He was over my house Friday. He had locked himself out of the house,” said Smith.
Firefighters said the deadly fire started because of a cigarette that was not properly extinguished. To make matters worse, fire officials said there were no working smoke detectors in the home. Neighbors said that the residents of the home had taken the smoke detectors down just a few days before because they were beeping, which signaled they needed new batteries. Smith called the situation devastating.
“It`s hard to believe that I spoke to him on Friday and the next day he is gone,” said Smith.
Fire officials emphasized the importance of extinguishing smoking materials properly, either in sand or water every single time. Also, they wanted to remind everyone of how important it is to have working smoke detectors in their homes. They said the devices are the cheapest form of life insurance anyone can get.
According to Facebook, the memorial service for Marley will take place Friday, January 17 at 3 p.m. The service will be held at the Mount Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home, located at 10507 Holmes Road Kansas City, Mo. 64131.
In lieu of flowers, Marley’s family has requested donations go to L.L Dog Rescue, P.O. Box 8545 Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66208.