Two New Kensington residents and an Arnold firefighter were hurt in a fire that did severe damage to a home in the city’s Valley Heights section Sunday morning.
The fire at 791 Kennedy Ave. was reported around 8:30 a.m., New Kensington fire Chief Ed Saliba said.
According to Saliba, an off-duty New Kensington police officer on the back porch of his home saw smoke and reported it. There was heavy fire on a wooden back deck.
The officer ran to and got into the house, where he found a couple in their 30s asleep despite their smoke detectors going off.
The officer got the couple and a dog out of the house. Two cats died.
The couple were taken by ambulance to West Penn Hospital, where they were treated for severe smoke inhalation and released, Saliba said.
In addition to New Kensington, firefighters from Arnold, Lower Burrell, Tarentum and Plum responded. An Arnold firefighter was treated at Allegheny Valley Hospital for a minor injury and released, Saliba said.
When firefighters arrived, the entire back deck was ablaze, Saliba said. The fire got into the house through a sliding glass door and kitchen window, which failed from the fire and heat, and began extending to the second floor before firefighters could stop it.
The fire was under control in about a half hour, Saliba said.
A state police fire marshal was investigating the cause of the fire. Saliba said it is not suspicious and appears accidental.
The couple owns the house and were insured, Saliba said. The American Red Cross was called to help.