Updated Oct. 1, 2026, 12:34 p.m. ET
A fundraising campaign is underway for the family of an elderly Bensalem man who who died in a Sept. 29 fatal house fire in the township’s Andalusia section.
William Egenolf, 72, died of smoke and soot inhalation, and his death has been ruled accidental, Bucks County Coroner Patti Campi said on Thursday. Two dogs also died in the fire, according to family.
The cause and origin of the fire in the 1100 block of Whittier Avenue remains under investigation, Bensalem Fire Rescue Chief Mark Antozzeski said Thursday. The house was left uninhabitable.
The fire was reported around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and it was quickly extinguished. No other injuries were reported. Egenolf was the only person in the home when the fire started, Antozzeski said.
A Go-Fund-Me campaign has been started to help the family, who have already endured “most than most could ever imagine,” according to a family friend.
“After everything he had already survived, losing him in such a sudden and tragic way is a heartbreak that words cannot begin to describe,” wrote Abbey Salvatore, who helped organize the fundraiser.
Egenolf survived a traumatic brain injury five year ago and experienced “countless challenges” including hospital stays, rehabilitation, therapies and set backs, Salvatore said.
“He fought incredibly hard and continued to overcome obstacles that no family should ever have to face,” Salvatore added. “His strength and resilience were an inspiration to everyone who loved him.”
Crime and Courts reporter Jo Ciavaglia can be reached at jciavaglia@gannett.com