An elderly man remembered by family members for his skill with engines and his love of fishing died early Saturday in a northeast Omaha fire.
Family members identified the victim as R.C. Swiney, 78.
The Omaha Fire Department had not named the victim late Saturday, saying an autopsy was done earlier in the day.
The fire broke out just before 3 a.m. at Swiney's pink house at 3915 N. 18th St. Swiney died either on the way to or at the Nebraska Medical Center.
Swiney's sister, Maybell Jones, said she had brought her brother home from Creighton University Medical Center on Friday evening.
Swiney had an infected toe amputated, Jones said, and had his foot in a boot and was using a walker. She situated him on a couch in the living room, she said.
A son, Anthony Swiney, said he lived with his father. Anthony Swiney said that his father was a smoker and that a cigarette might have caused the fire. But Jones said she believed that food had been left cooking in the oven.
The home had no working smoke detector, according to a statement from the Fire Department.
Jones said Swiney grew up in Mississippi, moved to Louisiana and eventually came to Omaha. She said her brother had 13 children from two marriages.
He had worked construction, driven trucks and run his own auto repair shop at 40th and Bedford Avenues.
"Oh, yeah, he was a hardworking guy," Jones said.
Anthony Swiney said his father was excellent at fixing auto and lawn mower engines.
He also played a fatherly role for the entire neighborhood, socializing with neighbors and giving relatives a place to stay when they needed it.
R.C. Swiney kept small stone statues on his front lawn, one of a pelican, another of a penguin. He also had large ornamental butterflies attached to the front of the house.
A small girl from down the block walked up to Anthony Swiney and expressed her condolences on Saturday afternoon. "I'm really sorry," the girl said.
Jones said the Swiney family and friends years ago loved to camp in state parks in Iowa. The son said he and his father still went fishing at Cunningham Lake and other spots.
The Fire Department on Saturday boarded up the Swiney house, which had a thick smoke scar down its side. Charred furniture and belongings sat in the backyard.
Swiney's sister said: "I don't understand it and I won't understand it until I learn how this fire got started."
Contact the writer:
402-444-1123, rick.ruggles@owh.com
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