Six people escape smoky house fire in Penn Township

PENN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) -- Six people scrambled out of a home in Butler County when a smoky fire broke out there early Monday morning.

Smoke billowed from the two-story, log cabin home on Three Degree Road in Penn Township. The fire started around 5:20 a.m.

 
A person who called 911 about the fire told emergency dispatchers that it may have started on the porch, Penn Township police said.

The location of the residence and the cold weather created some challenges for the crews.

"The Butler County 911 Center received a call for a porch on fire. It was a two-story log cabin. When units arrived, it was pretty much fully involved. I know there were six occupants in the house," said Cpl. Jack D. Ripper with the Penn Township Police Department.

Multiple fire departments, even from Allegheny County, responded to assist the Penn Township Volunteer Fire Department.

The log cabin has a pretty long driveway, which made things a bit tricky for firefighters.

"It was a third of a mile long, so they had to lay a lot of hose to get up to the fire to supply water to it," Ripper said.

He said there's also no municipal water on the street.

"But right at the end of the street, they are using hydrants to fill the trucks, but mutual aid was called for multiple tanker trucks to supply water to the scene," he said.

The road was blocked off for hours as firefighters braved the chilly conditions.

"It's more safety because the fire trucks have the roads pretty congested down there and it's also turned icy because of the temperatures this morning on the roadways," Ripper said.

All six people made it out of the home safely and no other injuries have been reported. Ripper said they're now staying with relatives. 

The state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

Stay with KDKA-TV and KDKA.com for updates to this developing story as they become available.  

In:
• Butler County
• Fire