Man dies in Venetia house fire
One man died and a woman was injured in a June 15 house fire at 269 Bower Hill Road in Venetia.
Neighbors said firefighters searched for the man, whom the Washington County coroner identified as 85-year-old William Phillips Sr. He was found dead inside the home and his death is under investigation, the coroner said.
His wife was identified by neighbors as 86-year-old Naomi Phillips.
Rescuers were able to pull Naomi Phillips from the home. She was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment of her injuries, neighbors said.
Tom Graff, who lived next door to the couple for more than four decades, said Williams Phillips was working on a generator earlier in the evening because he had lost power during an evening thunderstorm.
Graff and his son-in-law, Bob Hoag, offered to help him with the generator, but William Phillips declined, they said.
Hoag said flames were shooting from the house when he later went outside shorty before 11 p.m. They were coming from the garage area, where the generator was, he said.
Graff was shocked at the fire and William Phillips’ death.
“We’re not family, but it’s a loss,” Hoag said.
“He never asked you to do anything for him,” he added of William Phillips, “but he was always doing things for other people.”
Hoag said he was with Naomi Phillips before she was taken to the hospital.
“Naomi, you’re going to be all right,” Hoag said he told the woman inside the ambulance.
Graff said he and William Phillips were close friends and went big game hunting out west and in Alaska over the years.
“He was a really nice guy,” Graff said.
William Phillips was a retired electrician, Graff said.
“We never think anything like this could happen here,” he said.
Police and emergency personnel did not confirm a fatality, and said the investigation is ongoing.
The state police fire Marshal was en route to the scene early Friday morning to determine the cause of the fire.
Firefighters from several municipalities assisted Peters Township Fire Department.