Blaze destroys top level of townhouse
CRANBERRY TWP — A fire destroyed the top level of a townhouse on Clearbrook Court early Tuesday afternoon.
Lt. Mike Hanks of the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company couldn't pinpoint the exact cause of the blaze, but said a mattress and dresser on the second floor accelerated the fire.
The fire call came in shortly before 2 p.m. Crews from Cranberry arrived a few minutes later and fought back the flames at 244 Clearbrook Court before they could spread to adjoining buildings.
Chief Brian Kovac said the fire caused an estimated $70,000 to $100,000 in damage.
“When we got here there was smoke showing,” Hanks said. “We had a quick attack and were backed up pretty quickly by Adams Area.”
Hanks said nobody was home at the time. Neighbors said the apartment's lone occupant frequently travels for work.
Melanie Suter lives several doors from the townhouse and said she occasionally sees the woman coming to or from the house.
“We don't have any contact information for her,” Suter said. “And now she's going to come home (from work) to see this. I feel so bad for her.”
Eugene Banks, who lives only two doors down from the blaze, said he only was aware of the emergency after crews arrived.
“I heard the diesel engines roll up, and I figured it was either police or fire,” he said. “Either way I knew it probably wasn't good.”
Firefighters from Cranberry, Adams Area, Zelienople, Harmony, and Callery in Butler County; Marshall Township in Allegheny County, and Big Knob in Beaver County responded.
Kovac said fast response to the fire by the multitude of departments helped save several pets in the residence as well as prevent the fire from spreading.
“There were three cats inside and we were able to get them out and to save them,” Kovac said. “Our guys did a great job holding to the upstairs and kept it contained from the neighboring townhomes.”
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