Three others transported to hospital
A fire on Tuesday (April 15) destroyed a home on Alice Street in Beacon and killed Gene Murphy, a retired highway supervisor for the city.
Firefighters responded at 6:26 p.m. to the home at 9 Alice St., near Prospect, according to the Beacon Fire Department. Three of the four occupants escaped and were taken to a hospital. After the fire was under control, firefighters discovered Murphy’s body in the living room. Murphy, 81, worked for the city for 30 years.
According to a post on a GoFundMe page set up to assist the family, Murphy’s 56-year-old daughter and 15-year-old great-grandson suffered burns and his 54-year-old son had minor injuries. All the family’s possessions were destroyed, including a vehicle. A fourth family member, Murphy’s 42-year-old grandson, was not home at the time.
The Beacon City School District identified the teenager as Markus Louis, a sophomore at Beacon High School. “Markus suffered serious burns and remains hospitalized,” wrote Superintendent Matt Landahl in a note to the community. “His road to recovery will take some time.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Four Beacon firefighters and two from the Castle Point sustained minor injuries, and the home at 15 Alice St. was damaged by the heat, the fire department said.
