‘He was trying to get out and didn’t make it.’ Man’s body found inside front door of burned house

A 67-year-old Parkland man and his two dogs died in a house fire early Thursday.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the man as Patrick O’Neill.

Central Pierce Fire & Rescue firefighters were called to the home in the 12200 block of Steele Street South about 1:30 a.m.

“When we arrived, there was fire through the roof and it was heavily involved,” spokesman Guy Overby said.

After the fire was extinguished, crews found O’Neill’s body inside the front door.

“It looked like he was trying to get out and didn’t make it,” Overby said.

O’Neill’s wife escaped on her own, investigators said, and was not hurt. The couple’s two dogs were found dead inside the house.

The man had escaped as well, O’Neill’s wife told investigators, but went back into the house to try and save his pets, Pierce County sheriff’s spokesman Ed Troyer said Thursday afternoon.

It’s not yet known what started the fire.

This story was originally published May 18, 2017 at 8:36 AM with the headline "‘He was trying to get out and didn’t make it.’ Man’s body found inside front door of burned house."