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Four children and one adult dead after fire in Jeannette, Pennsylvania
JEANNETTE, Pa. (KDKA) — Four children and one adult are dead following a late-night house fire in Jeannette, according to the Westmoreland Co. coroner.
One adult and two children were able to be rescued from the fire along Guy Street.
“It’s a very sad night here in Jeannette,” said Fire Chief Bill Frye. “Please keep the family and the first responders that responded tonight in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days and weeks here in the city.”
Chief Bill Frye says that approximately eight people were reported to be inside the house when the fire broke out around midnight.
A fire lieutenant was on scene within a minute of being dispatched and found that the house was already well-involved.
Chief Frye says that firefighters had some challenges with water supply from a nearby hydrant.
“Due to some complications, we were unable to get to everybody due to the progression of the fire on arrival,” he said.
A neighbor said he tried to help the family but the fire was just too intense.
“I came outside on the porch and the whole front of the house was on fire,” neighbor Jack Mull said. “I screamed at my daughter to call 911 and ran over and tried to get in downstairs but it was just too hot and too many flames.”
The fire also spread to the house next door. People living in that home were able to evacuate without any injuries.
Both homes are believed to be a total loss.
The Jeannette City School District has sent a letter to families, acknowledging the “heartbreaking loss” following the overnight fire.
“It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I send this message in the aftermath of the tragic fire that has deeply affected out city,” Superintendent Matthew Jones said. “As you may already be aware, we have lost multiple members of our school district community in this devastating incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of those who have tragically passed away. Please know that our entire school community stand with the family and friends of those last and we offer our deepest condolences and unwavering support.”
District officials say they will bring in counselors and social workers to help the students and staff through their grief.
“In times of adversity, it is our strength, resilience and sense of community that will see us through,” Jones said.
Mull, the neighbor, said his grandchildren played with the family’s children.
“I’ve been here 14 years, Mull said. “My granddaughters live with me and they play with their kids. They’re just good people.
Firefighters at the scene are working with the State Police Fire Marshal to sort through the debris and investigate the cause along with Coroners who were there early Wednesday morning.
The Red Cross will be assisting anyone who needs help.
Chief Frye says that the investigation will take some time and it’s possible they will know more as the day progresses but said that as of around 3:30 a.m., it was still a “very unstable scene.”
Stay with KDKA-TV and KDKA.com for the latest on this developing story.
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Former New York Gov. David Paterson, stepson attacked while walking in New York City
NEW YORK — Former New York Gov. David Paterson and his stepson were attacked in New York City on Friday night, authorities said.
The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. on Second Avenue near East 96th Street on the Upper East Side, according to the New York City Police Department.
Police said officers were sent to the scene after an assault was reported. When officers arrived, police say they found a 20-year-old man suffering from facial injuries and a 70-year-old man who had head pain. Both victims were taken to a local hospital in stable condition.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the former governor said the two were attacked while “taking a walk around the block near their home by some individuals that had a previous interaction with his stepson.”
The spokesperson said that they were injured “but were able to fight off their attackers.”
Both were taken to Cornell Hospital “as a precaution,” he added.
Police said no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
The 70-year-old Paterson, a Democrat, served as governor from 2008 to 2010, stepping into the post after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer following his prostitution scandal. He made history at the time as the state’s first-ever Black and legally blind governor.