A Hempfield family was displaced and lost their pets when a fire broke out in their mobile home Monday morning on Robin Drive.
The man and woman who rented the dwelling weren’t at home when flames were reported shortly after 8 a.m., but multiple cats perished inside, according to Don Thoma, assistant chief with the Hempfield Fire Department.
There were no injuries among first responders, Thoma said.
He said a team of firefighters who entered the home at the Hempfield Highlands trailer park was able to promptly knock down the flames, while other firefighters searched the structure for occupants.
“For a holiday morning, people were pretty quick,” Thoma said of the several fire companies that responded. “I’m just glad nobody was in there.
“It’s probably lucky that the windows were closed up. In that case, the fire runs out of oxygen.”
Damage was moderate to extensive, according to Thoma.
“There was a lot of smoke damage and a lot of heat damage,” he said.
He said the home currently isn’t in a livable condition.
A state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze.
The home is owned by the trailer park operators, who couldn’t be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
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.
