Actor Paul Avery and his wife Sheila die in New Jersey house fire, reports say

Actor Paul Avery and his wife Sheila died in a house fire at their home on Mohican Road in Blairstown, New Jersey, early Tuesday, according to a report by Deadline that cited the response and timing from New Jersey State Police and the Blairstown Fire Department. The report said responders were called shortly after 12:38 a.m. to the residence and found the couple trapped inside the burning home.

Deadline reported that the New Jersey State Police and the Blairstown Fire Department responded to the incident. The report described an active emergency response at the property on Mohican Road, where the couple was located inside the house at the time of the fire.

Avery was credited as an actor who appeared on the daytime drama All My Children, according to Deadline’s report. The publication did not provide additional information in its account about the nature or timing of Avery’s role on the series, beyond identifying him as an actor associated with the show.

The circumstances that led to the fire were not detailed in Deadline’s account. The report focused on the date and time of the call, the location, the involvement of state police and local fire officials, and the outcome for the couple trapped inside the home.

Local and state fire investigations typically include examination of how a blaze started, whether any accelerants were used, and what safety conditions were present in the structure. Because the Deadline report did not include findings or preliminary cause, the next steps in the case would depend on information released by investigating authorities.

News coverage of deaths in house fires also commonly turns, in the following days, to the public record on the status of the investigation, whether investigators have identified any suspicious factors, and whether officials will release additional details for families and the community. The timing and scope of any such updates would be determined by New Jersey State Police and the responsible fire investigators.

For viewers of All My Children and for those who track daytime television casts, the death of a performer and spouse also raises questions about ongoing public-facing materials associated with their work, including how estates or representatives may handle credits, memorial statements, and any remaining obligations related to prior productions.