Elderly woman dies in Derry Township house fire
By: Lauren Linder/KDKA-TV
DERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) - A family in Derry Township is mourning the loss of a loved one after a deadly fire on Christmas Eve.
Bradenville Fire Chief Mark Piantine said they got the call right before 5 p.m. Saturday for a house fire off Pizza Barn Road.
Several departments out of Indiana and Westmoreland Counties raced over after reports someone was trapped inside.
When crews arrived, they saw heavy fire.
"Coming out of the porch railings and out of the back of the structure," Piantine said.
Inside, they found an elderly woman in the living room on the first floor, but by the time they got her out, it was too late. Her husband was able to escape unharmed.
"We had to come, work as one to try to do a job," Piantine said.
It took crews about an hour and a half to get the fire under control.
"This is an older house, what they call balloon construction. What it does, it just runs the walls. There's no fire breaks in it, so if it starts down here, it goes straight up," Piantine said.
They also fought the flames in frigid conditions, rotating crews in and out so they could warm up by heaters or in a transit bus on scene.
"You've got to keep your nozzles open, so they don't freeze. We're worried about people slipping and falling," Piantine said.
Despite these challenges, they got the job done, but now the aftermath will leave an impact on the community.
"Christmas is for joy, not for something like this," Piantine said. "It's going to play on some people's minds for a while, believe me."
According to the fire marshal, the fire started in the kitchen. An official cause remains under investigation.
Per the Westmoreland County coroner, the victim was identified as Ester Ann McChesney. The cause of death is pending an autopsy, which will be performed on Monday.