Oct. 13—Neil Demmin, a long-time employee of the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal and Niagara Gazette newspaper operations, died in a house fire on Wednesday in his home in the Town of Cambria.

Numerous fire companies arrived after receiving 911 calls from multiple sources about 9:50 a.m. Wednesday, including his brother, James Demmin, who lived on the same property of the family farm Demmin and he grew up on.

"It's definitely tough and we're still processing, but I guess it's good it was at home," Kara Fletcher said, the great niece of Demmin.

Fletcher said Demmin kept to himself mostly, but she laughed as she talked about him — a much-loved great uncle.

"He was happy and able-bodied and just doing his thing," she said.

Demmin worked for the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal for decades before entering the mailroom in North Tonawanda where he worked for decades more.

Demmin had arrived home from work at 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. By 10 a.m. first responders from the sheriff's office found themselves met with flames, smoke and no way to enter the two-story home on Ridge Road. While firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, it was too late. Demmin body was found inside.

He was 69 years old but never acted it, Fletcher said.

James Demmin remembered that his brother was a loyal employee — never missed a day unless truly necessary — and liked to watch the races at the Speedway. Demmin's co-workers said much of the same.

"He really liked motor sports," Chris Mesler, production manager, said. "He'd go to the Speedway and would come in and talk about his favorite racer, Danny Johnson. He was into going to the all the car cruises. He was always at the Lockport Car Cruise they do on Mondays."

Demmin worked as a maintenance worker when the US&J was located on Summit Street. After the move, he worked in the mailroom where he was well known and admired.

Mesler said he could always count on Demmin to be at work. If he wasn't there, Mesler said, it had to be really bad.

"He was always friendly, never even a bit of a mean streak in him," Mesler said. "I'm going to miss him."

The Niagara County Sheriff's Office would not confirm Neil Demmin as the victim of Wednesday morning's fire in Cambria.