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Fire levels Clay Twp. home

CLAY TWP — A fast moving fire this morning destroyed the house at 110 Filer Lane.

About 11 a.m., Shane Whipkey, 28, was making a brass ring in the living room with a hand drill when he heard a pop, he said.

Whipkey said he thought it might have been the drill's battery pack exploding.

Shortly after hearing the noise, he noticed the corner of the couch was on fire. The fire quickly spread to the dry wall, and Whipkey said he ran outside yelling for help.

"Then the door closed behind me, and the glass in the window popped, and I knew I couldn't go back inside," he said.

The house, owned by Whipkey's mother, Bonnie Sadek, who lives in Florida, is insured.

West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Chief Reid Campbell said the house is a complete loss. Fire officials need to get into the building to determine if he needed to call in the state police fire marshal.

Firefighters from Unionville and Slippery Rock also reported to the fire.

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