AUSTIN, Texas – Authorities have identified two elderly individuals who lost their lives in a devastating house fire early Monday morning in Central East Austin. The blaze occurred at a residence located on the 3000 block of Pecan Springs Road, near East 51st Street and Springdale Road, according to the Austin Fire Department (AFD).
Emergency crews arrived at the scene around 1:30 a.m. to find approximately 75% of the single-family home engulfed in flames. AFD reported that three people were inside the residence at the time of the fire. One individual managed to escape the burning home without assistance and declined medical treatment on-site. Firefighters were able to enter the structure and pull out a woman, later identified as 78-year-old Janis Gammill. Despite receiving CPR, she was pronounced dead shortly after being rescued.
The second victim, 78-year-old Patrick Gammill, was found inside the home and removed by firefighters at approximately 2:15 a.m. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials have not yet released information about the relationship between the victims, though neighbors believe they were husband and wife.
Jim Olinger, a nearby resident, recounted the frightening early morning moments when he was awakened by police officers at his door, urging him to evacuate. “It was around 1:45 a.m.,” Olinger said. “They told me I needed to leave immediately.” Though his home remained untouched by the fire, he could see heavy smoke and flames coming from the house next door.
Olinger reflected on the tragic loss, noting that while he didn’t know the Gammills well, he had spoken with them a few times over the years. “I feel bad whenever anybody dies, especially in such a manner,” he said. “It’s a terrible way to go.”
Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze just before 2 a.m. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. Officials from AFD have not disclosed whether the home had working smoke alarms or if any hazards were present. The department is expected to release more details as the investigation progresses.
This incident marks one of the deadliest residential fires in Austin in recent months, prompting renewed conversations about fire safety and awareness in local neighborhoods.
