We begin Tonight with a local man who was killed in his home by a fire this week with loved ones grieving the loss.
Reporter Stoker Wieczorek tells us who the Cambria County Coroner is identifying as the victim and where the investigation stands.
“We have one confirmed fatality on this fire, on Pine Street in the City of Johnstown. My office, along with the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal, are photographing/processing the scene.”
Cambria County Coroner Jeff Lees says 32 year old Alexander Perring is the victim of this house fire, on the 700 Block of Pine Street.
It happened early Thursday Morning in Johnstown’s Hornerstown Neighborhood.
The Chief of the Johnstown Fire Department Bob Statler says the call for the fire came in just before 2 am, while crews were nearby, on the scene of a different fire, on Horner Street.
Multiple departments were on scene of both fires, including 7th Ward and Hilltop EMS.
“One of the units clearing the scene actually saw the smoke coming from this house. So, we actually happened to be a block away. About the same time that we called it in, somebody else was calling in a fire also.”
An Autopsy performed later Thursday shows Perring died from thermal and inhalation injuries. Statler says the flames were contained to the second floor of the Pine Street Home, where officials say Perring was found.
Neighbors of Perring allege they could hear him screaming at the time of the fires.
“It just seemed a little weird that both of these houses were up at the same time. Relatively close proximity, the houses were close to other houses. From what the family said, it wasn’t directly involved with anything else.”
As of Thursday, Lees says his office and the State Police Fire Marshal are still investigating, including looking further into the manner of death.