Man Dies in Fire; Neighbor Escapes

A 56-year-old man died Monday after flames engulfed an add-on home and burned the back part of a residence in the 2100 block of North Greenleaf Street, fire officials said.

Coroner’s investigators withheld the man’s identity pending notification of relatives.

An investigation is underway to determine whether the man died before or during the fire. An autopsy is scheduled for today.

“The whole back end of the house was totally destroyed by the fire,” fire spokesman Jeff Talmage said. “In the process of fighting the fire, they found the body in the back by the bathroom.”

Wilma Halliburton, who lived in the front house, escaped unharmed with one of her dogs, which was revived with oxygen by firefighters. The other dog suffered smoke inhalation.

“My neighbors called me and said, ‘Wilma, your house is on fire,’ ” she said.

Raul Torres, 33, an off-duty fire helicopter pilot, was driving by when he saw two men struggling to get Halliburton out of the house.

“At first I thought those guys were harassing her,” Torres said. “But then I saw the smoke and I took my crowbar and smashed windows in the back.”

Bill Charles Coniglio, 49, who lives across the street, said Halliburton didn’t want to leave her dogs behind.

“I thought the most important thing was to get her out of the house,” he said. “She just wanted to get her dogs.”

The cause of the fire, which resulted in about $75,000 in structural damage, is under investigation.