Man dead after house catches fire on La Salle Ave. in Hampton

HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Friends and neighbors of a man who died in a house fire on LaSalle Avenue in Hampton early Thursday morning shared their memories of someone who would always help a person in need, and give anyone the shirt off his back.

The son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter of the victim were displaced after a house fire on La Salle Avenue in Hampton early Thursday morning and are being helped by the Red Cross, while a firefighter was also taken to a local hospital to be treated for a heat-related illness and is expected to make a full recovery.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but does not appear to be suspicious in nature.

Juanita Brock-Staton was a close friend of the victim, who she confirmed was 67-year-old Edgar John Nichols.

“I’ve been knowing him 10 years,” Brock-Staton said. “We was best friends, fiancé, everything, we did everything together.”

It was 2:40 am when the house in the 200 block of La Salle Avenue in Hampton went up in flames. Nichols, who was wheelchair bound, was trapped inside, while his son and his family escaped thanks to a smoke alarm.

Crews arrived to the scene and found heavy smoke and flames coming from the front of the home.

A rapid rescue was initiated while fire crews worked to extinguish the fire. During the rescue, an elderly man was found in the home. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

“He was a great, magnificent outstanding, bodacious, handsome, tall man, you name it, a dressy man, Cedric the Entertainer, you name it,” Brock-Staton said. “That’s how good he was. … Ain’t nothing he wouldn’t do for nobody. He give his heart, his mind, his body, his soul, you know. And he loved God. He put God first in everything.”

As news spreads of his passing, hearts, like these windows, shatter.

“He had a real kind heart,” said Alvin Brown, who worked with Nichols at the Lipton plant in Suffolk. “He was one of those big teddy bears type of guy. Looked intimidating but once you talked to him, you knew he wasn’t.”

Brown remembers a time he was on the receiving end of that kindness.

“There was a time when I was going through a little situation and he was right there,” Brown said. “He was right there, without a moment’s notice. I called him, he said I got you, baby. He called me his baby brother. I got you, baby.”

Now sadness mixes with regret.

“I wish I had spent more time with him, I really do,” Brown said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.