Several major fires ravaged Butler County and the surrounding area in 2009, two of which tragically claimed the lives of two men, one woman and a 21-year-old firefighter.

On Jan. 4, 79-year-old Loyal Noblit, an Army veteran and member of the American Legion in Clay Township, was killed when he became trapped in his mobile home at 616 Halston Road after it caught fire.

Though state police deemed the fire suspicious, no cause was ever discovered due to the extensive damage to the home.

Pine Township, Mercer County, firefighter Brad Holmes died March 5 from injuries he suffered in a Feb. 29 fire at a duplex in Pine Township. Fellow Pine Township firefighter Scott King was also severely burned but survived.

They had been trying to rescue Patricia Andrews-Smith, 40, who died in the fire.

Iraq War veteran Daniel Jason Thomas, 26, died of smoke inhalation in the blaze at 348 Stone Church Road in Muddy Creek Township, less than one mile from his own home, while visiting a friend overnight.

Homeowner Travis Flinner, a female friend and a toddler inside the two-story farmhouse, built in 1901, escaped safely.

In addition to the fatal fires, several blazes caused major property damage.

A Jan. 7 fire at the Lyndora National Baking Co., 8 Chesapeake St. in Butler Township, shut the business' doors for months, destroying an 80-year-old brick hearth oven that stretched from the building's basement to the second floor.

Owners Debra and George Bristen have demolished the old oven and located a smaller gas oven to buy, and hope to be back in business by the end of January 2009.

A Feb. 4 fire gutted building materials supplier Butler Siding and Window Outlet, 1063 New Castle Road.

It caused damage of more than $700,000, but owner Gary Locke reopened within a week, operating out of a trailer on the site and using other trailers to accommodate incoming shipments.

Preceded by a robbery which cost the business about $2,700, the fire was suspected to have been arson, but never officially ruled as such.

Two major fires struck Zelienople in a two-month period.

A March 10 fire destroyed Pennsylvania Collision Parts on Halstead Boulevard, causing $6 million in damage and losses.

Damage was so heavy that state police said it might be impossible to pinpoint the cause of the fire, but said they suspected lights may have malfunctioned or ignited materials stacked nearby.

Arson was ruled out in that blaze, but was to blame for a May 10 fire that destroyed the former AAA building at 200 S. Main St. and Beecher's Gelato and Gourmet Coffee at 204 S. Main St. in Zelienople.

A third building, owned by attorney Wesley Hamilton at 208 S. Main St., sustained smoke, water and chainsaw damage.

Total damage was estimated at $3 million, state police said. Two of the three buildings have been razed; Hamilton has repaired damages and returned to work in his office.

Excell Mineral Plant, a Clinton Township fertilizer producer on Saxonburg Boulevard, burned down July 7.

Though the company incurred $2.5 million in losses, the plant's 15 employees were relocated to the company's Winfield Township plant and the Clinton Township plant is being rebuilt.