A stock photo of a fire truck. 

By Michael Mashburn From Daily Voice

A young Rensselaer County man who died when the car he was working on erupted in flames is being remembered by family and friends as a good-hearted car enthusiast.

North Greenbush Police identified 19-year-old Jason Cupp Thursday, Nov. 13, days after he was killed in a vehicle fire on Judd Lane in Wynantskill, as Daily Voice reported.

The fire broke out shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in a residential driveway, where a passerby discovered a vehicle fully engulfed and attempted to put out the flames with a garden hose, police said. The passerby then realized someone was trapped beneath the vehicle and called 911.

Emergency crews extricated Cupp, but police said he had already died before responders arrived. Investigators do not suspect foul play, though the circumstances surrounding the fire and how Cupp became trapped remain under investigation.

“This is a terribly tragic situation, and our hearts go out to his family and friends,” said North Greenbush Police Chief David M. Keevern. “The response from all emergency services was exceptional, as always, but sadly, it was not enough to save him.”

Cupp’s obituary describes him as a 19-year-old who died “doing what he loved, working on his cars at his home.”

Friend Tony Jaczko remembered Cupp on Facebook as a “good-hearted young car guy” who was building his first Corvette at the time of his death.

Cupp is survived by his parents, Thomas and Barabra Cupp, his sister, Samantha, and a large extended family and circle of friends, according to his memorial.

Services will be held Saturday, Nov. 15, at St. Jude the Apostle Church on Brookside Avenue in Wynantskill.

Loved ones are invited to share a statement and/or photos by emailing mmashburn@dailyvoice.com.