Elderly Woman Dead After Small Apartment Fire

An elderly disabled woman was killed Friday morning during a off Veterans Highway in Middletown Township.

Beverly O'Boyle, 74, was found dead in the kitchen of her apartment, where she lived alone, Middletown Fire Marshal Jim McGuire said at the scene.

After a preliminary investigation officials told Levittown Patch they believe the 74-year-old woman noticed a piece of furniture -- possible a couch -- on fire in her living room and attempted to grab water from her kitchen to try to extinguish it, but expired instead. The fire did not spread and officials said they believe it extinguished on its own, McGuire said.

The victim's body was discovered by the apartment complex's maintenance staff who entered her apartment after noticing smoke conditions. 

According to neighbors, O'Boyle and her late husband, Vincent, ran the landmark O’Boyle’s Ice Cream Company on Farragut Avenue in Bristol Borough. Several years ago, the ice cream company was closed and the building recently torn-down, a borough official said.

An official cause of death for Boyle is pending the results of an autopsy, authorities said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but is not considered suspicious, McGuire said.

Fire crews from Langhorne-Middletown Fire Co., Parkland Fire Co., Penndel Fire Co., Newportville Fire Co. and William Penn Fire Co. responded to the call.

The Middletown fire marshal's office and police department's investigations were assisted by the Bucks County Fire Marshal and the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal.