A critically ill man desperately attempted to escape the flames that consumed his West Newton home early Thursday but failed when the roof of the porch on which he was standing collapsed, killing him and injuring several firefighters.

Timothy W. Oliphant, 76, of 205 W. Main St. was pronounced dead at the scene of the blaze that burned quickly through the two-story frame home where he lived for decades, according to Westmoreland County Deputy Coroner Joshua Zappone.

A grief-stricken family member said Oliphant, who was on oxygen, had been receiving hospice care and possibly had no more than a month to live.

West Newton police and the state police fire marshal are investigating the fire that began shortly after 5 a.m. and closed the street for several hours while firefighters battled single-digit temperatures and icy conditions that made walking nearly impossible.

Oliphant, who retired in 1986 as an electrician at the former Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel mill in Allenport, was described by West Newton police Chief Gary Indof as a “nice guy” whom he knew from seeing him around town before he fell ill. He was born in Fayette City but had lived in West Newton since 1972.

His wife, Lois, 73, died in 2011 of a lengthy illness.

Oliphant's two pets, his dog Skippy and cat B.A., also died in the blaze.

His daughter, Karen Bourne, told WPXI-TV that just the night before, she had an argument with her father about smoking while using oxygen.

“He was frail,” Bourne said. “We had an argument last night (about smoking) and that's what's even worse — I got mad, but he's still my dad.”

Bourne said her father was on hospice care and believed he had only a month to live.

A family member at the scene declined to comment.

In attempting to escape the flames, Oliphant made it as far as the front porch of the burning home and was waiting for help when the roof caved in, according to West Newton Fire Chief Craig Sanner. The home, which was engulfed when firefighters arrived, was destroyed, Sanner said.

Most of the rescuers caught in the collapse were treated at the scene for undisclosed injuries, the chief said. A Collinsburg firefighter was transported to a local hospital but was released Thursday afternoon, he said.

Two other firefighters became ill at the scene, apparently from the bitter cold.

Murrysville Medic One set up a warming station where two Irwin firefighters were examined, said Andrew Rzodkiewicz, Murrysville's assistant EMS chief.

Rzodkiewicz said the firefighters did not sustain burns or smoke inhalation but began feeling “generally unwell” after arriving to assist at the scene.

“They were checked out as a precaution. After they rested and warmed up, they felt better,” he said.

Oliphant is survived by his daughter, a son, Scott, of Washington, D.C., and three grandchildren.

The cause and manner of Oliphant's death are pending an autopsy to be performed in Pittsburgh, according to the coroner's office.

Neighbor Suzane Park said Oliphant was a friendly, gentle man whom she often saw sitting on his porch.

“I would walk down, and we would talk. He was a really nice guy. It's sad. He was always outside, working on his boat, mowing his lawn. He would say ‘hi' to everybody,” she said.

A memorial service for Oliphant will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in Ferguson Funeral Home and Crematory in North Belle Vernon. Friends will be received for one hour before the service in the funeral home.

Mary Pickels is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-5401 or mpickels@tribweb.com. Rossilynne Skena Culgan contributed to this report.

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---