1 person killed in Ben Avon house fire, officials say
One person has died after an overnight house fire in Ben Avon, Allegheny County.
The Seville Volunteer Fire Company said via social media that the department was dispatched just before 12:30 a.m. Saturday, to a working house fire along Perrysville Avenue. Crews were able to open up walls and eventually extinguished the flames, operating on scene until approximately 3 a.m. The Emsworth Volunteer Fire Department described the fire as stubborn, saying their crews didn't leave until 6 a.m.
Heavy damage could be throughout the home in the hours after the blaze was put out, including melted siding sitting beside where windows once stood.
Neighbors are struggling in the hours after this fire. Many told KDKA-TV that they weren't even aware that someone had died. The victim's identity has not been made public as of Saturday evening.
One woman who saw the fire early on said she had suspected it was arson based on the fire in a straight line up the side of the home. KDKA-TV cameras could see burn marks in the same spots.
Another neighbor who spoke to KDKA-TV said the door to the home was already open when they got there before fire crews arrived.
In a now-deleted Facebook comment, the Seville Volunteer Fire Company referred to the victim as a resident, but a neighbor said the family who lives there wasn't home when crews arrived at the fire.
Neighbors shared condolences for that person's family. They also said they were thankful that the multiple fire departments that were on scene were able to keep the fire from spreading to a neighboring home.
The county fire marshal is investigating the cause and manner of the fire, with assistance from the Allegheny County Police Department's Homicide Unit.