Washington Township man in his 80s homeless after fire destroys mobile home
A Washington Township man in his 80s was displaced Thursday morning when fire destroyed the George Drive mobile home in which he lived alone.
Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief Clayton Murphy said the fire in the 300 block of rural George Drive started around 10:30 a.m.
The occupant of the mobile home, whom Murphy did not identify, was inside when the fire started but managed to get out safely. The man is staying with a nearby relative, Murphy said.
Authorities suspect the fire was sparked from a wood-burning stove in a newer section of the mobile home that was added on.
More than 35 firefighters from Washington Township and at least eight other fire companies responded. It took about 45 minutes to get the fire under control, Murphy said, adding that the fire “spread to a couple of outbuildings due to the heat and the wind” and destroyed those structures.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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