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Bobby Gentile, age 74, was inside his Brimfield home went up in flames on Thursday, Dec. 22, according to a GoFundMe campaign. Gentile's husband Alan Kastner was out picking up groceries and medication for Gentile when he came home and saw firefighters tackling the blaze.
While the couple's dog Roscoe made it out safely, Gentile did not.
“On behalf of the Brimfield Fire Department, I want to express my deepest condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones,” said Brimfield Fire Chief Don Contois. “This is a terrible time of year to suffer such a tragedy, and our hearts go out to them.”
Initial investigation does not suggest a suspicious fire but the cause and origin remain under investigation, as previously reported by Daily Voice. The home, which has been in Gentile's family for generations, was also deemed a total loss
"The house on 3rd Street was built in the 1940s, and it was their permanent residence," the GoFundMe said. "All of their belongings, necessities and family heirlooms were destroyed in this tragic fire."
The funds from the campaign will help cover monthly health costs for Kastner, who has stage four prostate cancer. Kastner has also been unemployed for several weeks and took on a role as Gentile's primary caregiver after he was diagnosed with dementia in October.
"An avid floral gardener and friendly neighbor...Bobby was always smiling and enjoying life on Little Alum Pond, which his spirit will always be a part of," the GoFundMe continued. "Besides his partner and husband of 15 years, he leaves his only son Jeremy Gentile of California and his two beloved grandsons."
The GoFundMe was launched by the family and friends of Little Alum Pond in Brimfield to help Kastner. People interesting in donating can do so by clicking here.
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