Blaze at duplex sends 3 to hospital
A fire in a duplex in the Institute Hill neighborhood early Saturday sent three people to the hospital.
Lt. Donald Crawford of the Butler Fire Department said firefighters were dispatched at 12:48 a.m. Saturday to a structure fire at 535 Carbon St.
When crews arrived they discovered the building is a duplex and found the occupants of one side kicking in their neighbor's door as the fire grew.
Crawford said dispatchers told firefighters that everyone was out of the structure, but the 30-year-old man and his 2-year-old daughter who appeared outside after the door was kicked in reported that the man's mother, 54, was still inside in her upstairs bedroom.
Crawford said firefighters knocked down the flames in the kitchen so they could get upstairs, but they discovered fire in the second floor bathroom as well.
After extinguishing those flames the crew found the woman unresponsive in a bedroom.
Crawford said his crews and firefighters from VA Butler Healthcare were able to remove the woman and take her to Butler Ambulance paramedics who were waiting outside.
He said the woman, who did not appear to have burns, was taken to Butler Memorial Hospital by ambulance and then to West Penn Hospital in Pittsburgh by helicopter.
The woman was unresponsive the entire time Crawford had contact with her, he said.
Meanwhile, the man and his daughter were also taken to Butler Memorial Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and were kept overnight for observation, Crawford said.
“There were very heavy smoke conditions,” Crawford said.
On Sunday, Butler Fire Department and state police declined to identify the woman, her son or granddaughter, nor did it have information on her condition. Attempts to contact the owner of the duplex were unsuccessful.
Crawford said the fire started in the kitchen at 535 Carbon St.
The occupants of 537 Carbon St. — two adults and two children — were able to escape unharmed because they were awakened by their smoke detectors.
Crawford said he could not confirm whether the smoke detectors in 535 were working, but said that the alert the devices provided to the neighbors likely proved life-saving.
“If none of them worked, we would have a different outcome today,” Crawford said. “I cannot overemphasize the importance of working smoke detectors.”
A dog escaped safely with the two adults and two children from 537, but a cat owned by the family at 535 Carbon St. could not be found after the fire.
State police were assisting city police with the fire investigation.
State police fire marshal David Jungling said Sunday the investigation was still ongoing, but that the fire was believed to be accidental and no foul play was suspected.
He said the duplex sustained moderate structural damage inside 535 and minor damage next door. Both units mainly sustained smoke damage, Crawford said.
The department estimated $50,000 damage to the structure and $5,000 to the contents.
In addition to city and Veterams Administration firefighters and Butler Ambulance crews, Butler Township Fire District 3 and city police also responded to the scene.
Crawford said the occupants of 537 are staying with relatives and will be assisted by the Red Cross. It is not known where the other family will stay once they are discharged from the hospital. The utilities had not been turned back on as of Sunday night.
City fire crews were on the scene until about 6 a.m. Saturday.
