The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

News Briefs

Getting around town on the Fourth of July

The following road closures will be in effect on July 4:

Wildwood Avenue will be closed to through traffic after 5 p.m. at the Sunnyvale/Santa Clara city border. Residents of Lakewood Village on the Fairwood side will be diverted to Palamos Avenue. Guests are allowed access only if accompanied by a resident.

Highway 101 offramps to Lawrence Expressway will close at 7 p.m. and reopen after traffic congestion clears in the evening.

Traffic on Tasman Drive and Lawrence Expressway from the fireworks show at Great America will be diverted up Lawrence Expressway to Highway 237. Caribbean Drive to Mathilda Avenue and Highway 101 will be open.

Sunnyvale man dies following explosion

A Sunnyvale man is dead after suffering burns when he accidentally set himself on fire in his garage in an explosion.

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Nursing Supervisor Lori Wetzel said Ota Ollah Sinaki, 43, of 358 N. Murphy Ave., died at about 2 p.m. on June 18. Sinaki had been on life support since early last Wednesday morning.

Capt. Frank Bellucci said Sinaki accidentally knocked over a five-gallon can of lighter fluid near a water heater while he was working.

He said the lighter fluid exploded, setting fire to both the garage and Sinaki. Thirty-one firefighters extinguished the blaze, which was contained in the garage, in approximately 40 minutes, he said.

Bellucci said a neighbor sprayed Sinaki, who was enveloped in flames, with a fire extinguisher.

--Bay City News Service

[ Back to Contents Page | Sunnyvale Sun Home Page | Archives ]

This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, June 25, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.