Ligonier Fire Spreads From Shed To House, Causes Extensive Damage
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LIGONIER (KDKA) - A home suffered extensive damage after a fire broke out in Ligonier early Friday morning.
According to officials, the fire started in the 1600 block of Route 30 around 4:30 a.m.
The woman who lived at the home wasn't there when the fire started. Her neighbor saw the flames.
"When my eyes opened, I saw the light, pulled my curtains and nothing but a wall of fire right there," Frank Griser said.
It's believed the fire started in the shed nearby and spread to the home.
"I knew it was a storage facility, like a shed or a garage and I was worried that there was combustibles in there and explosions was on my mind and my parents live right across the way," Griser said.
"Shed caught fire, led to the house, took the side of the house, blew out most of the windows," Ligonier Twp. Vol. Fire Dept. Asst. Chief Patrick Kromel said.
Inside the home, officials say they found hoarding conditions.
Power lines fell from the home, which prompted a closure of Route 30 in both directions.
"We had power lines that were across Route 30 that were still live so we decided everything was going to stay on the west side of the fire," Kromel said. "The lines burnt off from the front of the house and just come down on their own. We didn't touch them until Allegheny fire got here and determined them safe."
Officials say there were 24 cats inside the home. They were removed by humane officers and are being cared for at local animal shelters.
"We have the Westmoreland County CART team here now, once the fire marshal determines we can make entrance, they'll go in and try to locate all the animals and take them to a shelter," Kromel said.
Firefighters say no one was injured.