Officials are still trying to figure out what caused a weekend fire that destroyed a Summit Township home.
Herman Fire Chief Rob McLafferty said the residence on Dittmer Road went up in flames just after midnight on Sunday.
“We could see the fire from about a mile and a half away,” McLafferty said in an interview on Monday. “The whole house was completely engulfed in flames when we got there.”
Seven people, including one adult and six children, lived inside that home. They were staying with relatives that evening and weren’t inside when the fire started but firefighters did not initially know that.
“It took us about 45 minutes before we confirmed that nobody was inside the residence,” he said. “Obviously, that’s our first priority- to make sure everyone is safe. When we arrived we knew it was not a survivable situation. The house was fully involved. There was not an opportunity to make any rescues.”
Thankfully, crews did not have to make any rescues. Nobody was inside the house. Nobody was hurt.
The cause of the fire is unclear. The State Police Marshal’s Unit is expected on scene today to try and figure out the origin and cause of the flames.
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Everything inside the two-story, Summit Township home was destroyed. Donations are now being accepted to help the family of seven, the Manchesters, who lived there.
Clothing can be dropped off at “Suit Yourself” in the Deshon Place building at the Butler VA in Butler Township or through the “Suit Yourself” drop box on North Washington Street in Butler.
*** SIZING INFORMATION ***
Mom: Shirt XL, Pants size 14, shoe size 8
Daughter 1: Age 15, Pants size 7, Shirts size medium, shoe size 10
Son 1: Age 14, Shirt size medium, pants 30/34, shoe size 10 1/2
Daughter 2: Age 9, clothing size 10/12, shoe size 3
Daughter 3: Age 8, clothing size 14/16, shoe size 4
Son2: Age 6, clothing size 6, shoe size child 13
Daughter 4: Age 4, clothing size 5, shoe size child 11
Organizers say overflow clothing donations will be kept in inventory to aid the next family in need.
Gift cards, specifically to Walmart, Target and Giant Eagle, can be dropped off at the Cindy MacTaggart State Farm Office in Butler (by the former Kmart), the Nationwide office in Chicora (care of Jamie Weaver Kerr), the Herman Fire Department, Baldauf Auto Body in Lyndora, and the Butler High or Intermediate Schools.
For updated information, you can visit the Helping Butler County Facebook page.
“When something like this happens, we want to try and take the burden off the people who are already struggling,” Scott “Howie” Dittman, of Karns City, said in an interview. He started the Helping Butler County Facebook page.
