By Cindi Lash
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
SEVEN SPRINGS, Pa. — A state police fire marshal has asked Somerset County code enforcement officers to examine a fireplace for potential flaws as part of an investigation of a condominium fire in which two people died.
Trooper Terry Wilson said he summoned the code enforcement officers yesterday to determine if the flue and chimney met applicable building codes.
The fireplace had a wood-framed chimney surrounding a galvanized metal pipe, but Trooper Wilson said he could not determine if anything shielded the wood from the pipe as it heated from fire.
The fire early Sunday killed Jonathan Murt, 22, of Rostraver, and his girlfriend, Sasha Zuro, 26, of Washington Township, Fayette County. Mr. Murt and Ms. Zuro died of smoke inhalation while staying in the condo in the Sunridge section of The Villages at Seven Springs at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. The blaze also destroyed or damaged several condos in the complex.
The complex is not within the boundaries of Seven Springs Borough, but lies in neighboring Middlecreek, which obtains primary fire coverage from the New Centerville & Rural Volunteer Fire Company. New Centerville Chief Jim Saylor said police and some firefighters from Seven Springs responded within minutes, sought to evacuate the condos and called in additional alarms after the fire was reported at 1:07 a.m.
But he acknowledged that it took more time for his and other fire departments to arrive because of the hour and the necessity of summoning firefighters from home over icy roads to their stations, and then on to the fire. Chief Saylor said his fire station is about eight miles away from the condo complex, and firefighters encountered a serious traffic accident on the way to the blaze that partially blocked the road and required the attention of emergency medical crews.
Firefighters from his department and from Salt Lick, Fayette County, arrived at the same time but still took 21 minutes from the time of the original alarm, he said. He said 16 fire companies were called out from Somerset, Westmoreland and Fayette counties.
“I haven’t gotten to sleep over this,” he said yesterday. “My condolences go to the families. But I’m still proud of every firefighter who responded to that call.”
Copyright 2008 P.G. Publishing Co.