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Fire Rips Through Butler County Home, Family of 6 Forced Out

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP (KDKA)- Fire ripped through a Butler County home early Wednesday morning, forcing a family out into the cold.

The fire started just after midnight at a home on Saxonburg Road in Jefferson Township.

"My lieutenant arrived first, it was fully engulfed," said Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief Chris Ballina. "When I pulled in five minutes later, it was already through the roof and shooting out of the windows."

Immediately, firefighters sounded a second alarm, bringing in several extra fire units from the area.

A family of six, including four children ranging from 10- to 17-years-old, were inside the home at the time. They were all able to make it out safely. A neighbor told KDKA that one of the boys was able to carry his younger sister to safety.

Chief Ballina says it appears the fire started on the main floor. It was too dangerous to send any firefighters inside the home.

"We couldn't send anybody inside because the house was fully involved," said Chief Ballina. "It was already burned through the attic area and we weren't about to risk anybody going in."

Saxonburg_Fire2
(Photo Credit: KDKA Photojournalist Brian Grystar)

Fire officials are still looking into the cause.

This morning Chief Ballina said, "Now that we got some daylight and the smoke cleared, come back and take a second look at it, and it seems to have originated around the wood burning stove where the flue went up into the rafters and headed up into the chimney."

If you'd like to help the family, you can send donations to this address:
Judy Geist
110 Bonniebrook Rd.
Cabot, PA 16023

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