Donegal Township fire kills Acme resident
ACME – One man was killed and seven other people were left homeless following a fire early Sunday morning on Rock Canyon Road, five miles south of Harr Road in Donegal Township. Chestnut Ridge Fire Chief Ed Chearney said Jeremy James Krause, 22, of Acme died in an upstairs bedroom after becoming trapped in the fire.
State police at Greensburg said a member of the Westmoreland County coroner’s office pronounced Krause dead at the scene. State police additionally said an autopsy would be performed by the coroner’s office to determine the cause of death.
A call to the coroner’s office Monday was not returned.
Chearney said the fire began in an upstairs bedroom in the two-story A-frame home owned by Michael James Murphy, 52, of White. Murphy’s family, including his parents and children, lived in the home.
Chearney said that firefighters fought the blaze for about one-hour and 45 minutes before they discovered that Krause was trapped in the fire.
“One of the Murphy family members told us that Mr. Krause was not accounted for,” said Chearney. “We immediately began searching for him and found him in an upstairs bedroom. We then called the coroner’s office and the state police fire marshal.”
Chearney said most of the damage was contained to the roof of the home, but state police reported that damage to the house was estimated at about $100,000. State police additionally reported that the cause of the fire could not be determined and said the fire is still under investigation.
Chearney said when he arrived at the scene the house was engulfed in flames.
“The call came in at 7:14 a.m. as a bedroom fire,” said Chearney. “By the time I got there, which was about five minutes after the call, the house was engulfed in flames.”
Chearney said firefighters were hampered at the scene because of weather conditions and the impassable driveway to the house.
“We had to hand carry lines 300 to 400 feet up the driveway because it wasn’t plowed or anything so that was the first thing against us,” said Chearney. “The second thing against us was a lake that was about 300 feet from the house that was frozen over. We couldn’t get a vehicle to the lake to get water so we had to tanker shuttle water at the worst time of the day on the worst day of the year.”
Chearney said firefighters arrived at the fire during the whiteout conditions that occurred early Sunday morning.
Chearney said this was one of the worst fires he has had to contend with in his almost 30 years as a firefighter.
“I have to give all 11 fire companies credit for this fire,” said Chearney. “The weather conditions were awful and we had four other calls at the same time as the fire. Our day began at 7:14 a.m. and didn’t end until 1 a.m. Monday.”
Chearney said firefighters were “hammered hard” on Sunday because they spent eight hours at the Rock Canyon fire and had to help out with four vehicle accidents.
Assisting Chestnut Ridge were firefighters from Saltlick Township, Normalville, Springfield Township, Bakersville, Bullskin Township, Mount Pleasant, Kecksburg, Ligonier, Darlington, Trauger and Hecla. Mutual Aid Ambulance also responded.
Chearney said several restaurants and stores in the area pitched in to help the beleaguered firefighters.
“It was really nice that everyone thought about us because it was just a bad situation,” said Chearney.
Chearney said the Murphys are staying with other family members in the area. No other injuries were reported, according to Chearney.