Overview
- Fire crews found Paul and Sheila Avery unconscious inside their Mohican Road home in Blairstown during the early hours of Tuesday, June 16, performed CPR at the scene, and both died after being taken to a local hospital.
- Authorities report the fire was brought under control about 1:00 a.m. and that the blaze appears to have started on the ground floor, but investigators have not yet determined a cause.
- Their daughter, Kyle Avery, confirmed the deaths on Facebook, thanked the Blairstown Fire Department for its response, and said funeral arrangements will be announced soon.
- Paul Avery, 81, was best known for a long run as Hughie on All My Children and a credited appearance in Superman (1978); Sheila Avery was a local artist who suffered a stroke in 2018 and required full-time care that Paul provided.
- Neighbors and local groups have paid tribute to the couple, and authorities say the next steps include a formal origin-and-cause investigation and any follow-up safety guidance that may result from its findings.