Third person dies in fatal Covington Twp. fire
Dec. 14—State police continue to investigate the cause of a Monday fire in Covington Twp. that killed a family of three.
Lackawanna County Coroner Tim Rowland identified the deceased as Ira Nafus, 86, his wife, Carol, 79, and their son, Bryan, 39.
All three died accidentally from "inhalation of products of combustion," Rowland said Tuesday.
Firefighters raced to the burning home at 99 School House Road about 5 p.m. and rescued Bryan Nafus, but couldn't rescue his parents.
Rowland said he pronounced the parents dead at the scene at 8:32 p.m.
Bryan Nafus died in the intensive care unit of Geisinger Community Medical Center at 1:28 a.m. Tuesday, Rowland said.
John Bomersheim, who described Bryan Nafus an "amazing" friend, declined to be interviewed, but on Facebook said photos and video of the fire "struck me through the heart."
"I knew the house," Bomersheim wrote. "Bryan was the definition of a recluse, but I was proud to be one of those people that he allowed into his inner circle. There were many times we hung out and watched anime, played games, just that fun geeky stuff, things that I have not done in years with him, and now, I sadly never will again."
The shock hit deep, he wrote.
"Even now, I am still shaking," he said. "I did know his mother and father, the former more than the latter, but they were awesome people, and will be missed."
Contact the writer: bkrawczeniuk@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9147; @BorysBlogTT on Twitter.
