Police: Man burned to death in his Penn Hills home
A Penn Hills man burned to death inside his home along Southern Avenue, police Chief Howard Burton reported.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office on Friday identified the victim as Herman Hill, 74.
Burton said Hill’s girlfriend had come by the house around 5:10 p.m. Thursday to pick him up for a doctor’s appointment when she found him dead in the kitchen.
Preliminary investigation indicated Hill was cooking something on the stove when flames erupted. Burton said it appeared Hill went to the sink to put out the flames when he caught fire.
No foul play is suspected.
Burton said the house did not catch fire and no fire departments were dispatched.
“What was burning burnt out,” Burton said. “Why nothing else caught on fire I don’t know. … We never knew about a fire.
”By the time we got there the fire was out and he was dead. It’s an unfortunate and terrible accident.”
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
Michael DiVittorio is a TribLive reporter covering general news in Western Pennsylvania, with a penchant for festivals and food. He can be reached at mdivittorio@triblive.com.
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