Stephen Hermanson remembered how his brother Eric loved his cat, Handy. The cat remained near 57-year-old Eric Paul Hermanson after he died in a house fire early Saturday morning, April 8, Hermanson said Monday.

Eric Hermanson died from accidental asphyxiation caused by a house fire in the basement of his home on Cook Avenue Extension, an autopsy concluded, according to Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Detective Joe Nole.

Stephen Hermanson, 64, also was at the home when the fire broke out. He was uninjured, according to authorities.

INCIDENT

The brothers were on the main floor of the 1961 four-bedroom home when Stephen heard a noise coming from the basement, according to East Jefferson Fire Rescue (EJFR) officials, who interviewed Stephen at the scene. He opened the basement door and smelled a faint odor of smoke. Stephen went outside and walked around the home to investigate, and saw flames shooting out of the windows of the home’s walkout basement.

A neighbor living in an RV behind the house called 911 at 7:44 a.m.

Firefighters arrived to find flames emanating from the windows of the basement, with one man in the yard, according to Bill Beezley, EJFR public information officer.

Beezley said firefighters began a search-and-rescue effort on the main floor of the house, which was filled with smoke.

Firefighters searched the home and found Eric Hermanson unconscious on the floor at 8:01 a.m. They dragged him outside and began CPR, but were unable to revive him.

The fire was extinguished at 9:23 a.m., according to EJFR Deputy Chief Ted Krysinski.

Citing the Jefferson County Fire Investigation Task Force, Beezley wrote that the fire definitely started in the basement, but that an oil furnace located there was not the cause of the fire.

He said the probable cause was electrical in nature, but couldn’t definitively determine which of two possible locations, about 15 feet apart, was the exact origin.

Art Frank, chief criminal deputy for Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, said the incident was not being investigated as a crime.

The upstairs had significant smoke damage, and the basement had significant fire damage.

“I don’t know if it’s totaled or not,” Beezley said.

“The house was insured,” Beezley said, adding that he contacted the insurance company to get the claim started to help Stephen Hermanson.

Approximately 26 personnel from EJFR, Engine 91 from Naval Magazine Indian Island and Port Ludlow Fire & Rescue responded to the blaze.

The 1,897-square-foot home, at 320 Cook Ave. Extension, had an assessed value of $222,779, according to the Jefferson County Assessor’s Office.

BROTHER REMEMBERED

“I always liked him … he was a good soul,” Stephen Hermanson said of his brother on Monday.

He said his brother had mental health issues, but he enjoyed hiking, swimming and being outdoors.

Stephen, Eric and a third sibling, David, were all born in Seattle to Jim and Dorothy Hermanson. The family moved to Port Townsend in about 1960, when Stephen was just 7 years old and Eric was a baby. Jim Hermanson worked at Fort Worden and wrote history books and articles. Dorothy was a nurse and active in genealogy.

David worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Stephen – now retired – worked at the dining hall at Fort Worden.

Hermanson said services for his brother have not yet been arranged, but that Eric was a member of St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Port Townsend.

Leigh Kamasz, executive director of the American Red Cross serving Kitsap and Olympic peninsulas, said her organization was providing housing assistance and helping the survivor connect with resources.

Kamasz noted that the Red Cross sent out a team to help as soon as it was informed of the fire.

“We have volunteers on call 24-7 to provide client assistance and help individuals who are displaced by fire,” she said.