2 hospitalized in Shaler fire that draws massive emergency response

Two men were hospitalized in critical condition, and a firefighter was treated for dehydration, Tuesday night as a result of a fire in Shaler.

Allegheny County 911 dispatch said the calls for the two-alarm fire at a home along the 1600 block of Burchfield Road came in shortly after 9 p.m. The house sits near the corner of Ponderosa Drive.

Shaler Villa Volunteer Fire Co. Chief Dwayne Steinmetz said the fire is under investigation by the Allegheny County Fire Marshal. He declined to speculate on the cause or origin of the fire. Allegheny County Police homicide detectives are also investigating.

At least 10 fire companies and several ambulance departments responded, as well as Salvation Army Disaster Services.

“We had a report of a residential house fire with people trapped inside,” Steinmetz said. “Upon arrival, one person was already out being tended to by neighbors. (That person) was transported to a hospital. Firefighters removed a second victim (from the home).”

Steinmetz said they were both in critical condition at time of transport. The firefighter was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition, according to the Allegheny County Police Department.

Allegheny County Police said both fire victims were men but did not identify them.

He said there were “heavy fire conditions” when crews first arrived. The fire was under control shortly after 10 p.m. and firefighters were addressing hot spots around 10:30 p.m.

At one point during the fire fight, firefighters were evacuated from the home.

Steinmetz said crews needed to regroup, and the evacuation was not done as a result of the house being unstable.

“Everything is kind of chaotic when you first arrive,” the chief said. “We were able to coordinate and get the fire under control. Our prayers are with the family involved in the incident.”

A pair of neighbors, who live a few houses down and declined to release their names, said they were on their way home from getting ice cream when they saw flames coming from the house.

One of the neighbors, a nurse, said they were able to get a man out of the home. That man then went back into the house to try and save his partner.