HUNTINGTON BEACH : 97-Year-Old Found Dead by Neighbors

Neighbors who checked on a 97-year-old man found him dead, apparently from smoke inhalation caused by a small fire in his living room over the weekend.

The man, whose name was not released pending notification of family members, lived in the 10400 block of Pago Pago Circle. He was found Tuesday night after his neighbors, Arthur and Joyce Baker, saw the darkened windows of his home and newspapers lying in the driveway when they returned from a weekend trip.

“It looked different. It just looked like something was wrong,” Joyce Baker said Wednesday. She said the man had been their neighbor for 26 years and would let them know that all was well by pulling his window shades up in the morning and down at night.

She said the man used to burn his trash in his fireplace. Police Lt. Patrick Gildea said there was “moderate fire damage” in the living room and “extensive smoke damage throughout the residence.” He said the man’s body was found in the kitchen, and the origin of the fire and cause of death were under investigation.

Baker said her neighbor was independent and in good health, although he suffered from arthritis and was hard of hearing. “He used to say he was going to live to be 100. I think he would have made it if it weren’t for this,” Baker said. “He was a spry old son of a gun.”

She said that after his driver’s license was revoked for speeding, he bought a motor scooter. “He used to go to convalescent homes on his motor scooter and sing and entertain the residents. He was probably older than most of them,” she said.

Baker said he was also active in Ss. Simon & Jude Catholic Church in Huntington Beach.