This morning, a fire engulfed the residence of a Westmoreland County 911 dispatcher while he was on duty. WPXI reported that the incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. on the 2500 block of Raymond Avenue in Derry Township. The dispatcher's wife, who tried to save their pets from the flames, suffered smoke inhalation and was subsequently hospitalized.
As the fire tore through, breaking into a bedroom at the back of the house, the family’s dwelling morphed into a hazard scene. According to WTAE, the inferno is believed to have been triggered by an electrical problem. Four individuals and several pets, including birds and dogs, were reported to inhabit the home.
Bradenville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mark Piantine was one of the first on the scene. "I imagine when he heard it, he probably left to come here," Piantine said in a statement detailed by WPXI. The wife's condition is not currently disclosed beyond her treatment for smoke inhalation at a Pittsburgh-area hospital.
