Cecil fire destroys house
CECIL – A man suffered first-degree burns and several lacerations after he jumped out of a window of a burning home that caught fire around 2:30 a.m. Friday.
Bob Birch, age unknown, of 3924 Millers Run Road, was transported to UPMC-Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh for treatment of burns on his back and cuts to his face and arms, according to Paul Pivac, assistant chief of Cecil No. 3 Fire Department. No one else was inside the home.
The fire destroyed the home, leveling it to the ground as it caused minor to moderate external damage to a neighboring house on Blakemore Drive from the intense flames.
A Harley Davidson motorcycle was scorched and melted, and a black Cadillac turned white from the blaze.
Firefighters from Hickory, Houston, McDonald and Muse also responded to the fire and had it under control within 30 minutes, Pivac said.
Neighbors said Birch “drove away and saved” an unidentified company truck instead of attempting to drive away his own vehicles.
“I was just coming by this morning to drop some money off to him. I hope he had renter’s insurance. Those vehicles aren’t cheap,” said the neighbor, who declined to give his name.
The state police fire marshal is investigating the cause.



