CLINTON, LA (WAFB) -
There are
heavy hearts in a small East Feliciana Parish town after a man who was fighting
for his life against cancer was killed in an early morning fire Tuesday.
The fire
started just after 7 a.m. at the Clinton Manor Apartments on Plank Road.
Chris
Phillips, 47, is being remembered as someone who did a lot for his community.
Just about every day, Phillips saddled up his wheelchair and headed down to the
Chevron.
"He was kind. He would help his fellow
roommates over there at the apartments. Some would be too sick to come out and
he would come out and buy what they needed," said Judy Nation, friend of
Phillips.
Nation
says Phillips regularly bought himself cigars from the store. Fire officials
say they found evidence indicating the fire likely started on the couch where
Phillips was found.
"He was a
single tenant of the apartment that is involved in the fire. We've determined
that this area of origin revolved over in that part of the apartment. We were
able to recover Mr. Phillips' body," said Brant Thompson with the State Fire
Marshal's Office.
Nation
says Phillips wouldn't complain about his situation. He was an amputee with
only one leg, and was battling cancer.
Rain or
shine, Phillips would make the trip to the Chevron. Nation says that because he
was in a wheelchair, some of the items he bought for others were too high on
the shelves. She said she was happy to help Phillips. She says his fighting
spirit will be missed.
There is
no word on services for Phillips.
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