South Greensburg duplex fire displaces 2 couples; cause under investigation

Two couples and their cats were displaced from a South Greensburg duplex Thursday night as fire officials searched for the cause of a blaze that resulted in minimal damage in one of the dwellings.

South Greensburg firefighters were dispatched just after 9 p.m. to the fire at Poplar Street and Jamison Avenue, within a block of the fire station.

“We got there in about a minute,” said Fire Chief Eric Hardy. He said flames were contained to an outer wall of the unit closest to the intersection, and crews were able to keep them from spreading beyond the first floor.

All of the occupants were evacuated without injury, though it took a while to round up one of three cats in the unit where the fire began.

Additional fire departments were called for extra manpower because of the warm weather.

Hardy said the fire was accidental.

The residents in both units had to find other shelter, for safety’s sake, while officials investigate the cause of the blaze.

Zachary Black and his wife had just moved from out of state into the unit that wasn’t directly affected by the flames. They were still in the process of unpacking, he said.

“I’m still in a state of shock,” Black said as he sat on the sidewalk with the couple’s pet cat.

The Blacks moved to the area as he planned to begin graduate studies at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

He said the couple found their new community to be a friendly one but weren’t sure where they would stay for the time being.

The Red Cross was summoned to assist the displaced couples.