Popular Darby Township man killed in house fire

DARBY TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Neighbors are remembering a popular Darby Township man who was killed in a house fire Monday night.

The victim has been identified as Duke Freeman, who was in his 80s.

Action News has learned Freeman may have been working on a heater shortly before the fire broke out.

The fire broke out around 6:45 p.m. Monday on the 1000 block of West Jackson Street.

Darby Township Fire Chief Tyrone Fitzgerald says the flames spread quickly through the home as firefighters worked to put it out.

"As you can see, at the time the flames and the smoke overwhelmed us where we had to retreat and fight from a distance just to make sure everything surrounding was also exposed to fire. It was an intense battle," Fitzgerald said.

At least four homes were evacuated temporarily out of concerns there may be a gas leak.

In all, it took firefighters about 20 minutes to bring the fire under control.

But it would be some time lighter before they wound find the body of Duke Freeman in the basement of the home.

By all accounts, the elderly gentleman was well-liked.

"Mr. Duke was a wonderful person. He would do anything for anyone in the community. He's one of those if you needed help, he'd be right there to help you. He's loved by everybody," Darby Township Police Commissioner Richard Womack said.

Chief Fitzgerald says while he was in a band, he stayed with Freeman and his family and dated one of his daughters.

"Everybody loved him. Everybody in this community knew him. He's the best. He'd doing anything for anybody out of the kindness of his heart," neighbor Dwayne Russell said.