Apr 24, 2007 By Steve Ferris 2 min read

FOOTEDALE – A husband and wife escaped a fire that appeared to have started outside their home at 209 Jeffries Crossing Road near Footedale in German Township Tuesday morning. The fire at John and Jean Keen’s rented two-story home started around 11:15 a.m. It burned several large shrubs and the front porch before it moved inside, where most of the damage was from heat and smoke.

John Keen said the fire started soon after he and his wife woke up. He said he might have singed his head while spraying water from a garden hose on the burning front porch.

“We just got up out of bed,” said Keen. “The bushes were on fire.”

“It started on the outside of the structure then moved inside,” said Albert Constable, assistant chief of the Footedale Volunteer Fire Department.

Constable said state police fire marshals are investigating to determine the cause of the fire.

Keen said he did not have renters insurance and rents the house from his father-in-law, James Cartwright, who lives next door.

The Southwest Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Red Cross is helping the Keens by providing food, shelter and clothing.

Firefighters from German Township, New Salem and Uniontown also responded to the alarm.