Watch CBS News

One Person Dies In Apartment Complex Fire In Kittanning

KITTANNING (KDKA) - A man in his 60s died in an overnight apartment fire in Kittanning.

According to the fire chief, the man was found dead in his bedroom in a second-floor apartment.

The landlord said that the man who died was also a veteran. The Armstrong County Coroner's Office identified him as 69-year-old John Bodurka.

No one else was injured in the fire.

kittanning-apartment-fire
Photo Credit: KDKA Photojournalist Brian Smithmyer

There were 12 other people in the apartment complex when flames began to shoot out of the windows.

"I was praying as soon as I got the call that no families were hurt. There's a family with two kids on the other side, and another family of two people on that side," landlord Wade Bowser said.

Those occupants were able to get out safely and will be staying in a hotel for the next few days before they are able to return to the apartment complex.

Firefighters say cold and icy conditions made fighting the fire difficult.

"The fire gutted the bedroom and partially down the hallway," Gene Stephens, the Kittanning fire chief, said. "Guys got it down quick; they did a good job of knocking it down to contain the fire. The gas, water, and electricity are still on in the other three apartments."

The fire started just before 3 a.m. at the apartment complex on North Jefferson Street.

According to the coroner's office, there are no sign of foul play. The cause is under investigation by the fire marshal.

Stay With KDKA.com For More Details

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.