An 83-year-old man was killed after a fire broke out in the back of his house Friday night. His wife was being treated for smoke inhalation at a hospital, officials and neighbors say.
The man was overcome by smoke as he tried to extinguish the blaze that broke out at the back of his house at 675 S. Alcott St. at 6:30 p.m., according to fire officials and neighbors.
Raylene Smith, an investigator for the Denver Coroner’s Office, confirmed that an 83-year-old man was killed. She said an autopsy was underway to determine the cause of death.
Neighbors identified the victim as Onecimo Joseph Blea, a retired freighting company manager. His wife, Minnie Blea, 82, was taken to Denver Health Medical Center, according to authorities and neighbors.
“He was the nicest man I ever met in my life,” said Scott Christiansen, his former son-in-law. “The guy had the biggest heart in the world.”
Blea mowed his lawn last week and always shoveled his walks, neighbors said. He was very active.
Firefighters were called to the home at 6:30 p.m. after neighbors saw smoke rising from the rear of the home, said Heather Green, Denver fire spokeswoman.
“When firefighters arrived, heavy smoke was billowing out of the eves of the house,” she said. “There were flames showing in the rear of the house and flames broke through the roof.”
Twelve-year-old Alan Estrada, who lives next door, said his uncle rushed into his house and yelled, “Get out. Get out. The house next door is on fire. I saw flames coming out of the windows.”
The first of 35 firefighters to respond to the blaze at the small, single-story brick 1950s era home quickly entered and found two unconscious people on the floor, Green said.
They rushed the couple, who had lived in the home about 50 years, out of the house and performed CPR on Onecimo Blea, neighbors said.
“He was laying on the grass,” said a woman who lives across the street. “It seemed to me like they were working on him a long time.”
The fire got so hot inside the house that a commander ordered firefighters to leave the home and fight it from outside for several minutes, Green said.
They put out the fire in about 25 minutes, she said.
Green said it is unclear what caused the fire, which started in the rear of the home where an addition had been built onto the house.
Investigators took evidence with them for analysis, she said. The fire caused extensive damage to the home.
Too often the tendency is for people to try to fight a fire but the toxins in the smoke can be very strong.
“It doesn’t take long to be overcome and go down in the smoke,” Green said.
Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-954-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.
