Nov 3, 2014 2 min read

A Canonsburg man suffered smoke inhalation Saturday when he tried to return to his burning home to rescue the family’s pets.

John Shaffer, 41, went back inside the home at 30 Archer St. to get the animals after discovering his kitchen was on fire abut 5:20 p.m. but was driven back by the heavy smoke, said David Rhome, assistant fire chief.

Rhome said smoke was coming out of the front of the house when Canonsburg firefighters got the call. Shaffer was being treated at the scene by medics.

“He tried to go back in and rescue the animals,” Rhome said. “He suffers from asthma and should not have tried. He is lucky he was not overcome by the smoke and got out.”

Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire, Rhome added. Shaffer was cooking spaghetti and had grease cooking on another burner for french fries. The state police fire marshal determined the fire started in the area of the burner where the grease was cooking.

Rhome said firefighters teach youngsters during fire prevention programs not to return inside a burning home for any reason, including to get their animals.

“It has been my experience that nine out of 10 times, if given an opening, the animals will make their way out,” Rhome said.

Two birds died in the fire, but three dogs and two cats survived. Rhome said the family was happy to be reunited with two of the dogs and a cat, which returned home after the fire was out.

Jennifer Williams, who resides at the home, was at work when the fire began. The couple’s two children, an 8-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl, were home but escaped uninjured. Shaffer went to Canonsburg Hospital for treatment.

Rhome said damage to the residence is estimated at $30,000. He also said there were no working smoke detectors in the residence.

Assisting at the scene were North Strabane Township and Houston firefighters and the rapid intervention team from the Peters Township fire department. Firefighters from Cecil No. 2 (Muse) were on standby.