Man Jumps to His Death From High-Rise Blaze

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — A resident of a burning oceanfront high-rise apartment jumped to his death from an 18th-story balcony as a crowd of people watched helplessly, authorities said Thursday.

The flames appeared to be restricted largely to the apartment of John Carlyle Crews, 60, who was unable to escape, authorities said.

"He was screaming, ‘Help me, I don’t want to die. Somebody please help me,"’ witness Saida Caal told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. "He was catching on fire, and he just jumped off the balcony."

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