3 occupants displaced after attic fire
American Red Cross was called after three people were temporarily displaced from their home on the 200 block of West Wayne Street on Thursday, April 4 due to a fire.
Electrical service had to be disconnected from the house following reports of an attic fire around 6:40 p.m.
While the fire was contained to the attic, Butler Bureau of Fire Chief Chris Switala said water carried over to the first and second floors, necessitating the power be turned off. West Penn Power will determine when the conditions inside the home are safe for the occupants to return to, Switala said.
Linda Smith, who was at home with her sons at the time of the fire, said she was alerted to the smoke by a neighbor. She said she didn’t smell smoke or see any flames while inside.
As Smith and her adult sons waited outside, first responders rescued two dogs: one in a plastic laundry basket, and later a second dog in a crate.
The occupants and their pets were not injured.
Dispatchers received multiple calls about the fire, Switala said.
As firefighters entered the building, debris was seen falling from the roof and smoke was seen rising through the eaves.
Capt. Tom Fair, of the Butler fire department, said flames were extinguished within 10 to 15 minutes, and the attic was damaged from the fire.
Both Switala and Fair said the incident is under investigation.
Butler Bureau of Fire, Butler Township Volunteer Fire District Station, Butler Ambulance Service, VA Butler Fire and Emergency Services and Butler city police responded to the incident.
