70-year-old dead following Derry Borough apartment fire
A 70-year-old man was pronounced dead at 1:05 p.m. Monday at Independence Health-Latrobe after he was hurt in an apartment fire in Derry Borough.
The cause and manner of William S. Trout III’s death remain undetermined, Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson said.
An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday, Carson said.
Firefighters rescued Trout from the rear of his first-floor apartment on the southern side of the six-unit building in the 400 block of North Chestnut Street, said Chief Josh Campbell of the Derry Volunteer Fire Company.
“He was in an area that wasn’t exactly easy to get in and get him out,” Campbell said. “It was a team effort,” involving volunteers from multiple fire companies.
All other occupants made it safely out of the building, which is home to eight adults and six children, according to Campbell. Opposite the Ridge Avenue intersection, the building includes a finished basement level, he said.
Smoke was showing on the southern side of the building as units responded to the fire reported shortly after noon, Campbell said.
Firefighters knocked down the flames in about 15 minutes, containing the fire to the kitchen of the first-floor apartment, where it is believed to have started, he said.
The fire is considered accidental, but a state police fire marshal and Derry Borough police are investigating the cause, Campbell said.
There was smoke or water damage throughout the building, displacing the residents, Campbell said. The Red Cross was notified to help provide shelter for one of the residents, while all others had found a place to stay, he said.
That includes Robert Lang, who lives in a second-story apartment on the building’s north side with his fiancee and two children.
“I was the only one at home,” Lang said. “I didn’t notice anything until a policeman came and knocked on the door. We’ve got to stay with relatives tonight.”
Campbell said he called for additional firefighting units to respond when he learned someone was trapped in the building.
Additional crews were dispatched from Bradenville, Blairsville, Latrobe, New Alexandria, Lloydsville, Youngstown and Ligonier.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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