URSINA — Bernard Scarlett and his wife were sleeping early Sunday when their fire alarm sounded.
Without that warning, one fire official believes, the two may have perished in a fire that quickly swept through their two-story frame house in southern Somerset County.
“Those two people, I believe, are alive as the result of working smoke detectors,” Confluence First Assistant Chief Ron Hostetler said Monday.
The Scarletts escaped uninjured, though they lost most of their belongings in the blaze.
While they are staying with relatives, a fund has been established for the couple at the Confluence branch of Somerset Trust Co., Hostetler said.
A state police fire marshal is being called in to investigate the cause of the blaze, which volunteers believe started near an electrical box in the basement.
A damage estimate was not immediately available Monday.
“We’re calling it a complete and total loss,” Hostetler said. “The structure is damaged beyond repair.”
Hostetler said Bernard Scarlett was awakened by the smoke detector about 6:20 a.m. Sunday. As the kitchen filled with smoke and flames began darting from the basement, Scarlett fled with his wife and called 911 from a neighbor’s house.
“If he wouldn’t have awakened when he did, I think things would have been bad,” Hostetler said.
No injuries were reported, although Hostetler said a group of firefighters briefly became trapped on the second floor.
The volunteers escaped by ladder through a second-floor window.
Confluence Volunteer Fire Company was assisted by departments from Addison, New Centerville and Rockwood, Markleysburg and Farmington in Fayette County and Friendsville in Garrett County, Maryland.
How to help
Donations marked “For the Scarletts” may be sent to:
Somerset Trust Co.
Confluence branch office
612 Logan Place
Confluence, Pa. 15424
Local News
Ursina couple’s home destroyed by flames
- Local News
-
-
Mild winter speeds work: Entertainment venue may be complete by end of May
An unusually mild winter has accelerated construction of a new outdoor entertainment venue in Johnstown.
-
Man jailed on rash of charges
A Patton man is being held on $100,000 bond after police said he threatened to kill a woman, her family and himself unless she talked to him about a protection-from-abuse order.
-
Cambria abolishes 16 jobs
Following through on promises to cut budget costs, the Cambria County commissioners voted Thursday to abolish 16 positions, including nine full-time jobs.
-
Blogging with heart
Anyone else have this issue: The more I know, the more I want to learn.
As I am writing my heart month stories for this week’s packages, I occasionally come across a term or description unfamiliar to me. So I look it up. And then the definition or article has something else that sounds important, so I look that up. -
Wozniak defends his support of drilling bill
State Sen. John Wozniak, D-Westmont, one of only seven Democrats to support the Marcellus Shale legislation adopted this week, said the bill protects the environment and provides help to local communities impacted by the natural gas drilling.
-
Businessman hoping to unseat Wozniak
Tim Houser uses two words – “challenging opportunity” – to describe his goal in this year’s elections.
-
Judge tosses evidence in robbery
A Cambria County prosecutor said he’ll have to drop robbery charges against a Twin Rocks woman after much of his evidence was suppressed by a judge.
-
Shooting defendant pleads to attempted murder
A Philadelphia man pleaded guilty Thursday in county court to attempted murder and theft in a Nov. 18 home invasion in which the homeowner was shot.
-
Garrett man sought in Somerset crime
An arrest warrant has been issued for Samuel McFarland Jr., 33, of Berlin Street in Garrett in connection with Saturday’s robbery of two boys outside Dollar General on East Main Street in Somerset.
-
City man shot during alleged burglary
A Johnstown man was shot during a burglary attempt in Indiana County and then burglarized a home in Armstrong County before he was arrested, authorities said Thursday.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
