NEW YORK — “All My Children” alum Paul Avery and his wife, Sheila Garry Avery, were killed in a devastating house fire in New Jersey earlier this week.

Firefighters were called to the residence in Blairstown in the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Ridge View Echo reported, citing state police. When they arrived on the scene around 1 a.m., the home on Mohican Road was already engulfed in flames. Inside, first responders discovered the couple, each of them in critical condition and unresponsive.

Despite efforts to revive them, both Paul and Sheila died shortly after being rescued from the blaze.

Their official causes of death were not provided, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The couple’s daughter, Kyle Avery, confirmed the sad news with a post on Facebook.

“I’m devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning,” she wrote. “We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and nobody ever had to wonder if that was so.”

She added: “We’re grateful to the Blairstown Fire Department for their efforts.”

Paul Avery kicked off his acting career in the 1970s, appearing in1972’s “Stanley” and 1978’s “Superman” before going on to play Hughie, the bartender at Foxy’s, on “All My Children.” He starred on the soap for 12 years, and he additionally appeared in more than 300 commercials, according to Soap Opera Digest. His credits include appearances in “Three’s Company,” “Soap” and “Tales from the Darkside,” as well.

In addition to acting, Paul had writing bylines in the New Jersey Herald, Blairstown Press and Warren County Magazine. He was also a feature contributor for the New York Times, per his obituary.

He was 81 years old.

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