CLEARFIELD — District Attorney William Shaw Jr. said Tuesday that a multi-jurisdictional law-enforcement task force will be formed today to investigate the death of a Westover firefighter who collapsed at an abandoned house blaze early Saturday.
The state police said the probe is being handled as an arson investigation, although no details have been released on how the blaze was set.
Shaw said the task force will look not only into Saturday’s fire, but also about a dozen suspicious fires in southwestern Clearfield County and northern Cambria County.
The task force will include state police criminal and arson investigators.
Roy Everett Westover Jr., a veteran firefighter and single father of three sons, died of a stress-induced heart attack, Cambria County Coroner Dennis Kwiatkowski has said. Westover was pronounced dead just after 1 a.m. Saturday, about an hour after being taken to Miners Medical Center in Hastings.
Kwiatkowski said that the death would be listed as a homicide if the fire is determined to be an arson, because the fire set off a chain of events leading to Westover’s death.
Authorities said that Westover, a lieutenant with the Westover Volunteer Fire Company, had been working an exterior hose line at the fire.
When he walked back to the fire truck, he became lightheaded and told others that he did not feel well, the coroner said.
The structure, which had been vacant for years, reportedly had no utilities, including electrical power. It was located along Route 36 in Westover Borough.
Westover was a 28-year member of the fire company. His funeral will be will be held at 1 p.m. today at the Westover Baptist Church, where he had been a member.
Anyone with information about the fire has been asked to call the state police.
Local News
Task force to probe fireman’s death
- Local News
-
-
Highlights of Gov. Corbett's Marcellus Shale spending plan
Read on to see a bulleted list of Gov. Tom Corbett’s $27.1 billion state spending plan for the year that starts July 1.
-
Pa. gas drilling fee bill debate ends without vote
Pennsylvania, the only major gas-producing state that does not tax the taking of natural gas from its soil, moved closer Tuesday to imposing a fee on the drilling in the vast Marcellus Shale reserves that have transformed the state in recent years.
-
Blogging with heart
I've got so much stuff for this Sunday's American Heart Month package, that some of the stories will spill over onto Monday. But I don't know what to leave out, or hold for the next week, so it looks like a double hit this week.
-
$27.1B budget proposed
Gov. Tom Corbett on Tuesday proposed a budget of $27.1 billion, with no tax increases, deep cuts to higher education assistance and a range of cost-cutting in services for the poor, elderly and disabled.
-
Universities face steep cuts
State universities still trying to recover from deep cuts last year would have their public funding slashed even further under a budget plan unveiled Tuesday, leading some institutions to warn of a choice between maintaining buildings and offering academic programs students need to graduate.
-
Plan hurts middle class, local Democrats contend
While members of his own party praised Gov. Tom Corbett’s fiscal restraint, some local Democratic lawmakers said the Republican’s proposed budget panders to corporate interests while inflicting pain on the middle class.
-
Detour hurting some Portage businesses
Craig Mazzarese’s business depends heavily on drive-by customers, but since last week fewer drive-bys have been stopping
-
Local airport funding intact
Airport leaders here are breathing sighs of relief after Congress approved funding to support local commercial air service through 2015.
-
With state revenue tight, Westmont seeks school budget input
The Westmont Hilltop school board on Tuesday night held a public forum at the middle school to explain why the district, already one of the most efficient in the state, must raise taxes each year.
-
In brief: Commissioners plan to meet at schools
Cambria County’s three new commissioners, carrying out plans to take meetings into communities, have scheduled five of their meetings this year in high school auditoriums throughout the county.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Raw Video: Giants Celebrate Another Super Bowl
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Greek Leaders Seek Deal As Bankruptcy Looms
Bernanke: Recovery Depends on Consumer Spending
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Eastwood in Super Bowl Ad 'Compassionate'
Stranded Fishermen Rescued From Bay of Green Bay
Analyst: Outside Troops Won't Intervene in Syria
Police: Father Planned Deadly Fire for Some Time
US, UK Pressure on Syria; More Homs Violence
Raw Video: Mass Killer Wants Medal, Freedom
Court Strips Contador of Tour De France Title
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
And the Winner for Best Super Bowl Ad Is...
Romney Latest Poll to Join Let-me-explain Club
