Fatal fire
FORT WORTH — Two elderly people died Saturday night in a fire at a residence in the 4500 block of Moorview Avenue, Fort Worth Fire Department officials said.
Investigators determined that the fire was deliberately set.
A 911 call reporting smoke in the house alerted emergency agencies to the fire in the one-story home near Village Creek Park shortly before 8 o'clock.
Firefighters found the two victims inside the 1,300 square foot house, but they could not be revived.
They were identified as 90-year-old Bobby Hubbard and his 67-year-old nephew, Thomas Wheat Jr., who relied on a wheelchair.
Less than an hour earlier, there was a small fire set near the front door of neighborhood resident Jefferson Davis.
"Somebody threw gasoline and light that," he said. But investigators would not say whether the two fires might be related.
The fire department scheduled a news conference to discuss the fatal fire on Sunday afternoon... then canceled it, adding to the mystery.
Davis was stunned to learn about the deaths down the street. "They were friendly people," he said. "Yep. They were well-liked in the neighborhood."
Davis said there has never been a problem like this in his subdivision.
The Fort Worth Fire Department says police are now involved in the arson investigation.
E-mail jbetz@wfaa.com
