Tragedy struck earlier this morning when a fire erupted at Thomas Campbell Apartments, a senior living facility in Washington County's South Strabane Township, resulting in one fatality and another resident being hospitalized. WPXI reported that firefighters were dispatched to the scene around 7:45 a.m., and the fire allegedly began on the fourth floor of the building, according to officials.
The identity of the deceased has not been released pending the investigation. The investigation is probing the possibility that the fire ignited because someone smoked while using an oxygen tank. Yet, investigators have not confirmed this detail as the definitive cause. Fire Chief Jordan Cramer noted that emergency crews arrived promptly, and maintenance staff managed to extinguish the room blaze on the fourth floor as WTAE conveyed the updates.
This is not the first calamity to besiege the Thomas Campbell Apartments, as the complex's history carries the weight of a similar incident dating back to December 2021, when a deadly fire also claimed lives within its venerable walls.
Local reporters, including Ava Rash from Pittsburgh's Action News 4, gather on-site details about the fire, its aftermath, and the condition of the facility's residents.
