Civilian saves resident from burning home

By Miles Layton
The Herald-Standard 

CONNELLSVILLE TWP., Pa. — More than 50 firefighters battled a blaze early Monday morning on East Crawford Avenue.

The man living in the home sustained serious injuries and was taken to UPMC-Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh, said Robbie Leiberger, assistant chief of Connellsville Township Volunteer Fire Department. Investigators have not released the man's name.

Leiberger said the man was rescued by Terry Dave, a truck driver from Mount Pleasant, who was on his way to work around 2 a.m. when he spotted the fire.

"That truck driver gets all the credit," Leiberger said. "Before we even got there, he was banging on the front door and windows to rouse the man to get up."

Leiberger said the man inside the house came downstairs, but he was so disoriented that Dave had to help him escape the burning home. He said the injured man appeared to have suffered from significant smoke and heat inhalation.

Leiberger said no firefighter was injured by the blaze.

Leiberger said the two-story, wooden-frame home at 544 E. Crawford Ave. was heavily damaged. He said the state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. Preliminary damage estimates are not available.

Leiberger said a neighbor's house sustained moderate damage, but it was still habitable.

Firefighters from New Haven Hose, Connellsville Twp., South Connellsville, Bullskin Township and Scottdale volunteer fire departments extinguished the fire within about two and a half hours.

Copyright 2012 Herald-Standard (Uniontown PA)

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