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2 people die in morning fire

Two people died early Saturday in a fire that engulfed a mobile home off Perry Highway.

Cpl. Jeff Crede, fire marshal for the state police in Butler, said Saturday morning the bodies were too badly burned to immediately verify the genders.

While not knowing who died in the fire, neighbor Vicki Riddle said Brian and Heather Forgatch have lived in the mobile home at 339 Perry Highway for nearly four years.

Brian Forgatch owned a garage in the Zelienople area, she said.

The county coroner's office was handling the bodies' removal.

Crede said the damage was so extensive to the mobile home that it was too soon to pinpoint a cause for the blaze.

"It's too early to venture what might have happened," he said.

After receiving the 911 call at 2:20 a.m., about 50 firefighters responded to the fire.

Chief Tim Sapienza of the Harmony Volunteer Fire Company said the mobile home was fully engulfed when crews arrived, ensuring the two occupants didn't make it out.

"There was no chance to save them," Sapienza said.

Along with Harmony and Evans City firefighters, the Zelienople Volunteer Fire Department assisted at the scene

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