Early this morning, a residential fire in Peters Township, Washington County, brought about a multi-agency response as firefighters struggled to quickly bring the blaze under control amidst frigid temperatures.
The fire, reported to have started at approximately 3:30 a.m. on the 400 block of Thompsonville Road, was attended by police, firefighters, and paramedics, with no injuries being reported. Fire Chief Michael McLaughlin confirmed, as per WPXI, that an older man, who had been dealing with a medical issue, was inside at the time of the fire but managed to safely evacuate after calling 911.
Crews were forced to battle not just the flames but also the bitter cold, which posed an additional challenge to their efforts to control the situation. "The cold has been a challenge, but we have that every year, so it’s something that our crews are used to," McLaughlin said, as WPXI detailed. The fire was reportedly brought under control within 30 minutes; however, firefighters noted that the cold temperatures necessitated them to carefully act to prevent water lines from freezing.
According to WTAE, the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
