One person killed, another injured in Shaler Township house fire
SHALER TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- One person was killed and another was injured in an overnight house fire in Shaler Township.
The fire broke out around 2 a.m. along Beyrleye Avenue.
Firefighters at the scene battled heavy flames and smoke. In the daylight, you can see the extent of the damage and smell the smoke. Boards now cover the windows. The house is beyond saving. It's a loss of property and more importantly, a loss of life.
"Police were the first ones on the scene," said Undercliff Fire Company Chief John Ganter.
"I arrived shortly after police arrived on the scene and confirmed their on-scene report -- heavy fire showing from the front of the house area," he added.
Ganter says two men lived inside.
"At that point, one victim was reported that jumped from the second division, suffered an ankle injury," he said.
The one who jumped made it out. The other, identified by the medical examiner as 62-year-old Scott Johnstone, did not.
"Another victim unfortunately succumbed to his injuries," Ganter said.
At the house next door, neighbor Emily Sanford woke up to the commotion.
"I ran outside and stood across the street. Scott's house, the front of it was on fire, so I called 911 and then came back here and was praying that they made it out of the house and then was afraid that my house was going to catch on fire or explode," said Sanford.
She and her kids ran away down the street, but Sanford said there was another hero two doors down from the flames.
"My next-door neighbor had been coming home, I guess he was out and saw the flame and was trying to get them out. I think he actually, from what I understand, he helped one of them jump out and that's kind of what woke me up was his yelling, 'fire, get out,'" said Sanford.
It's the loss of a good neighbor.
"It was devastating. I was just hoping that Scott and the roommate were able to get out," Sanford said.
Firefighters did their best to save.
"Two firefighters located the victim just inside the rear door of the house. They yanked him out onto the back porch area," Ganter said.
Now the county fire marshal's office is trying to find out where the fire started.