Pikeville Man Dies in House Fire

An overnight fire destroys a home, leaves one man dead and an investigation begins.

It happened in Pikeville while three men who live inside the home were asleep. Both the survivors and Pikeville Police department say there is a chance the victim's death could have been avoided. The victim's brother Eugene Angel barely made it out with the clothes on his back but his brother, Clyde Angel didn't make it out at all.

"Me and my cousin got out. I didn't know my brother was in there in that bedroom," says Angel.

Angel says he and a cousin tried to get Clyde Angel out through a back window, but says Clyde fell and couldn't make it. Soon after the Pikeville Fire Department responded. Neighbors say they responded quickly, but when they got there it was too late.

"They got the fire put out. The house was built out of pine so it went up quick it went quick," says Anthony Bickford.

Chief Ronald Byrd of the Pikeville Police Department says investigators are calling the fire suspicious and are waiting for autopsy results to continue the investigation.

"Anytime a house just catches fire its suspicious unless theres evidence with there showing what happened here theres no evidence of what happened inside the house," says Chief Byrd.

Police are still investigating what happened but say alcohol may have been a factor of why everyone didn't get out of the house.

Eugene Angel says his brother may have been taking prescription drugs to help his back pain but they were all drinking beforehand. Angel admits if it wasn't for that, everyone may have gotten out.

"Clyde he wouldn't have been there probably if he hadnt been drinking," says Angel.

Pikeville police say because the fire is suspicious the fire and bomb division was called to the scene, but investigators have no idea right now, what actually caused the fire.