At approximately 2:45 a.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, Bensalem Police, Fire, and EMS were dispatched to a reported house fire in the 2700 block of Bellview Drive in Bensalem Township.
Upon arrival, officers from the Bensalem Township Police Department and firefighters from the Bensalem Township Volunteer Fire Department, along with assisting mutual aid companies, observed heavy smoke coming from the residence. A male resident was outside the home and advised that a female resident remained inside.
Firefighters made entry through the front door under heavy smoke conditions and located an unconscious female in the area of the kitchen. She was removed from the residence and turned over to EMS personnel. Despite life-saving efforts, the female, identified as 56-year-old Christine Toal, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The male resident was transported to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Fire crews contained and extinguished the fire before it spread to neighboring homes. There were no reported injuries to public safety personnel.
Battalion Chief Nicholas Altomare and Bensalem Township Police Detectives responded to conduct a joint investigation into the cause of the fire. The decedent’s family has been notified.
This remains an active and ongoing investigation.