EAST NORRITON — Officials have identified 46-year-old Bryan O’Neill as the victim in last week’s fatal fire on the 500 block of Barbara Drive, with the cause of death being carbon monoxide poisoning.
Additionally, the blaze was ruled accidental and was “the result of careless smoking,” according to East Norriton Fire Marshal Frank Ludwig.
The fire was first called in at 1:45 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24 by the homeowner, who had fled to a neighbor’s house after escaping the fire to report the blaze.
Once on the scene, firefighters located the deceased on the second floor of the residence and the second victim was taken to Einstein Medical Center Montgomery as a precaution due to a pre-existing medical condition but was not injured in the fire.
The fire was the second in as many days for the Norriton Fire Engine Company, who had responded to a fire on the 2900 block of Whitehall Road that left five men injured, including two firefighters that slipped on ice and three residents that jumped out of a second-floor window to escape the blaze.
That fire was also ruled accidental and was the result of an unattended burning candle, according to Ludwig.
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