6 people escape fire unharmed; 3 cats killed
HARRISVILLE — It was Ronna Gralitzer-Brite's ex-husband's birthday Tuesday. To celebrate, she was at Sam's Club in Butler Township buying all the fixings for his favorite meal.
“He likes lasagna,” she said.
On the drive home around 10:20 a.m., she got a phone call that ruined the day's plans.
“My son called,” she said. “He was screaming, 'The house is on fire. The house is on fire.'”
By then, she was around Slippery Rock. Minutes later, she was home and saw what the fire had done to the ranch-style house that she's owned for nearly six years.
“It's gone,” she said, gazing upon the firefighters traipsing in and out, and around the house. “It's lost.”
Six family members were inside when the fire ignited. Everyone got out safely, but three cats died. Six dogs also got out uninjured.
Another cat was initially unaccounted for, but firefighters found it while battling the blaze and took it outside to safety.
Fire officials did not immediately know what started the blaze at the home, which is next to the Harrisville fire station on the 400 block of East Mercer Street, but it is not believed to be suspicious. The house is considered destroyed, said Harrisville Fire Chief Steve Bickel, however, some belongings were salvageable.
Gralitzer-Brite lives at the house with husband Steve Brite, two children, three grandchildren and her ex.
Brite was visiting a friend in New Castle when the fire struck. He raced home on his motorcycle after his wife called him with the bad news. He broke down in tears as soon as he pulled up to the house on his bike and shed his helmet.
Her former husband told her he was sleeping in the game room on the east side of the house, Gralitzer-Brite said. “He said he woke up and his blanket was on fire,” she recalled. “He said the fire was coming from a wire by the window behind the refrigerator.”
Bickel was home when he got the fire call. He drove to the station and joined three other firefighters before making the short trip aboard the engine. “Flames were coming through the roof,” he said. “Smoke was coming out everywhere, from the roof and around the eaves.”
An exterior attack began and continued until more volunteers showed up.Several minutes later, an attack crew went in through the front door. Before long, a second attack crew used the back door to get inside.Bickel confirmed the blaze started in the game room. It was contained in about 30 minutes from the initial call. Tankers supplied all the water because there are no fire hydrants, authorities said.During the fire fight, crews gave oxygen to one of the cats, but they could not save it.The house, which is valued at more than $200,000 and sits on about two acres of property that stretches into woods, was insured.His faith would see him through the fire, Steve Brite said. “I don't know what His plan is,” Brite said, “but whatever it is, God's got us.”Bickel said the American Red Cross was called to help the family with necessities.Assisting the Harrisville VFD were firefighters from Slippery Rock, Marion Township, Eau Claire, West Sunbury, Prospect and Petrolia, all in Butler County; Pine Township, Grove City, Springfield Township and Mercer East End, all in Mercer County; and Clintonville in Venango County.
