Father, 2 children displaced after Millvale house fire
A fire in Millvale has left a father and his two children without a home and searching for their beloved cats.
Fire crews faced an uphill battle reaching a single-family home on a dead-end street at the corner of Siegel and Lippert.
However, more than nine different fire crews, including Sharpsburg, Etna and Millvale, climbed to get the fire out of the house as quickly as possible.
"There was nothing left of that house within minutes," said neighbor Andrew Barnes.
He woke up to the fire engines and the flames ripping through the home.
"I was nervous. It was close," said Barnes, referring to the fast-spreading flames and the proximity of his house.
Millvale firefighters arrived within about five minutes, according to Millvale Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jim Tunstall.
He and the team responded to the call around 6:30 a.m. for a reported oven fire.
"Clearly, when we got here, there was a lot more than that," Tunstall said.
He said the roof burned so much, it sent smoke into the air that could be seen from miles away.
"It was a quick fire. We had a stubborn issue in the attic. We also had exposure ... the house at 227 was beginning to catch," Tunstall added. "High on a hill, we have limited water resources up here. Luckily, we did have a good hydrant; we had the water we needed."
"Definitely crazy, definitely not something you see every single day and I'm hoping everybody got out all right," said Barnes.
Millvale fire officials confirmed a father and his two children, ages 15 and 17, got out of the home safely.
For the family now left with nothing, they're grateful one cat was caught safe, burnt whiskers, paws, and all.
In the aftermath, they're asking for help finding the other cats: Nini, who was last seen running away, and Malcolm the tabby cat, who's still unaccounted for.
"We're a good community. I'm sure the community will come together to help them because that's what Millvale does every time," Barnes said.
While the search for the cats continues, the Red Cross and Salvation Army are helping the family. The fire marshal's office will continue to investigate the cause of the fire.
