A Monday morning house fire claimed the life of an elderly man in the Overhill section of Somerton.
Firefighters were called to the 300 block of Buxmont St. at about 8 a.m. and encountered smoke in the basement of an occupied two-story single home, the fire department said. Rescuers found the victim and took him to Aria Health-Torresdale, where he was pronounced dead.
The city medical examiner’s office identified him as John Francis Thompson, 69. A determination of the cause and manner of death were pending on Tuesday.
The blaze was declared under control at 8:27 a.m. No other injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the city’s fire marshal. The fire department stated that no smoke detectors were present in the home. ••
