Jeannette couple donates $10K to help cover cost of fixing ladder truck damaged in fatal fire
Jeannette business owners stepped up this week to help the city cover about half the $20,000 it will take to repair a ladder truck that was damaged in a March 20 fire that killed five members of a family of eight.
“They blew me away when they came in (Thursday) with that,” Fire Chief Bill Frye said of Lynn and George Croce’s $10,000 donation.
The Croces own Westmoreland Medical Equipment Company on Lowry Avenue. They declined to talk about the donation.
They made the donation after reading a TribLive article that reported Jeannette was going to dip into its budget to cover at least $20,000 in repairs to the truck, Frye said.
The truck failed a safety inspection after the fire and is being repaired.
City officials are trying to steer clear of filing an insurance claim for the damage to avoid affecting insurance deductibles or rates. Officials said they would keep a close eye on the budget to cover the $20,000 expense, but some line items might go over their limits for the year as a result of the repair bills.
“I am overjoyed by the generous contribution to fix the fire truck,” Mayor Curtis Antoniak said. “There are so many good people out there in this world.”
Heat from the fire damaged the truck’s ladder, right front tire, fire hose and a lifting jack, according to Frye. It also melted items including a light bar and hose bed and air conditioner covers. Repairing the lifting jack alone would cost $7,500, not including labor, Frye said.
The Croces have been supporters of the fire department in the past.
“We can’t thank them enough for that,” he said.
Tyler J. King, 27, and four of his children, Kyson John, 7, Kinzleigh John, 6, Keagan John, 3, and Korbyn John, 1 month, were killed in the Guy Street fire. Two other children, ages 10 and 1, were able to escape with Miranda John, King’s fiancee and the children’s mother. Three people got out of a neighboring home that was destroyed. Other homes in the neighborhood also were damaged by the intense heat.
Related:
• Jeannette police officers, neighbor honored for rescues made at fatal house fire
• Jeannette mulls paying for repairs to damaged ladder truck to keep insurance rates in check
• Coroner identifies father, 4 children killed in Jeannette blaze
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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