THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 30, 1995 TAG: 9509300306
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 43 lines
A Virginia Beach man was found dead in his garage Friday afternoon after he apparently set his home afire and then shot himself, police and fire officials reported.
Phillip E. Bryant, 36, was found dead from a self-inflicted shotgun wound in a detached garage, police said.
Police spokesman Mike Carey said police and fire personnel were called to the Bryant home about 1:10 p.m. after receiving a report about the blaze. The house is located in the 300 block of Crisfield Drive, not far from where N. Lynnhaven Road crosses Virginia Beach Boulevard.
Battalion Chief Mike Wade said the fire was intentionally set using a petroleum product.
``Based on the evidence, it has also been determined that the deceased. . . was probably responsible for the fire,'' Wade said.
Wade said the one-story home was engulfed when rescuers arrived, but firefighters were able to bring the flames under control within 10 minutes.
The heaviest damage was in living room and kitchen, Wade said. There was no immediate estimate on the cost of the damage.
There were early reports of an explosion, but Wade said no incendiary devices had been found.
``The noise could have been a rapid build-up of fire,'' he said.
Lisa Loy, who lives across the street, said she first heard what sounded like two gunshots and then firecrackers.
``The whole house went up in flames,'' Loy said, while watching from her front porch. ``There was smoke everywhere. It went really quick.''
Loy said Bryant had been renovating the garage into a room and workshop.
The garage was not affected by the flames. The exact origin of the fire is under investigation.
KEYWORDS: FIRE MURDER SUICIDE VIRGINIA BEACH SHOOTING by CNB