Wife tried to save man killed in tree stand fire in southcentral Pa.
A Fulton County man lost his life last weekend doing one of the things he loved most.
Raymond "Ed" Seville Jr., 76, was hunting on the first day of Pennsylvania's rifle deer season on Saturday when a fire engulfed his tree stand in Belfast Township, killing him, according to Fulton County Coroner Berley Souders.
The coroner's office was called to the scene in the 900 block of Gem Road, southwest of McConnellsburg, about 7:45 a.m., after fire and EMS personnel from Needmore's Co. 55 found the remains of a person, later identified as Seville.
Seville's wife, Margaret, was with him when the fire broke out while he attempted to ignite a heater connected to a propane tank, according to the coroner.
She said flames began erupting from the bottom of the heater on the floor of the tree stand, and the smoke quickly became unbearable.
She began helping Seville, who had mobility issues, to escape, but was overcome by the smoke and had to get fresh air. She got back in the tree stand and tried to pull Seville out but the structure was fully engulfed in flames and she was unable to save him, according to the coroner.
Seville was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m. Testing determined he had died of smoke inhalation, the coroner said.
The Sevilles would have celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary on Dec. 3, according to his obituary. They were married in 1967.
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Seville was born March 29, 1947.
An avid outdoorsman who loved hunting, especially in the West, the father of four was close with family and friends and known for his "big hearty laugh, which could be picked out in a crowd," his obituary states.
Seville was retired from the H.B. Mellott Co. in Warfordsburg.
Pennsylvania's deer rifle season continues through Dec. 9.
Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.
This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Pennsylvania hunter Raymond Seville dies in tree stand fire
