BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo community is mourning following a deadly house fire that claimed the life of a man many called not just a neighbor, but family.
Officials have identified the victim as 71-year-old Randel Warner, who died in a fire that broke out at 112 Rano Street just before 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
According to Buffalo Fire officials, the fire started at the front of the home and quickly spread, causing more than $222,000 in damage. One firefighter was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
For neighbors on Rano Street, the tragedy is deeply personal.
"He was a man that would give you the shirt off of his back," one neighbor said. "Kind and respectful...a good person."
“He was a friend to everyone on the street. A grandfather figure to all the kids," said Terri Godinez, who lives nearby. She said she was heartbroken when she heard the news.
Eve Wackett, a lifelong friend and neighbor, brought flowers from her garden to the scene Sunday.
“He was the guy I would go to after my relationship ended,” she said. “Even after I moved away, I still came to visit him. He helped me through rough times, and I’ll always remember him.”
WATCH: Community mourns loss of beloved neighbor in deadly Buffalo house fire
Other neighbors agreed Warner was more than just a familiar face.
”He was kind to us. A wonderful person,” said Daniel Suedy, who lives right next door, and he added that his own home was damaged in the fire. But what hurts most is the loss of the man who lived beside him. “We’re going to be sad because he was such a good neighbor and so kind to us.”
Neighbors said Warner left a lasting mark on this tight-knit community, one that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
