'Entire upstairs is gone'
CRANBERRY TWP — A fire burned the upstairs of a home Thursday afternoon on Franklin Road.
“The entire upstairs is gone,” said Heather Broerman, homeowner.
The fire, which occurred about 1:15 p.m., started upstairs in a child’s bedroom in a corner of the house, according to Broerman and Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company 1st Capt. David Mack.
“Most of the damage is in the one bedroom,” Mack said.
He said the fire was mostly contained to the room that had its door and windows shut, causing the fire to “choke itself out” due to a lack of oxygen.
Firefighters extinguished hot spots upstairs with water.
Mack said the other upstairs rooms have smoke damage.
Broerman also said the first floor ceiling has damage.
“This is one of the worst things that could happen to someone,” she said.
However, Broerman said she and her family have friends and family to help them, but they plan to stay at their house.
“We’ll be fine,” she said. “We’re pretty lucky.”
Broerman and her husband, Jason, have lived there for nearly 13 years.
The couple has four children. Three of them were in school when the fire broke out while their 3-year-old daughter was with Heather Broerman.
Although no one was injured, Broerman’s biggest concern is for the family’s four dogs, who usually sleep inside with a heater. The home now has no heat because of the fire.
“I don’t know what to do with them,” she said.
Fire officials said they are unsure what caused the fire.
Broerman said the upstairs had a heater to keep that part of the house warm, but it shut off when it got too hot.
The fire caused a portion of Franklin Road to be closed from its intersection with Peters Road to its intersection with Rowan and Hope roads.
That portion of Franklin Road was reopened just before 3:30 p.m.
The Adams Area Fire District, the Marshall Township Volunteer Fire Department and the Cranberry Police Department assisted at the fire.
