Jan 23, 2024 By Mark Hofmann 2 min read

A woman was injured trying to rescue her dogs from a weekend house fire in Brownsville that destroyed her home and damaged neighboring residences.

When South Brownsville Volunteer Fire Company #1 Chief Ron Barry arrived at the scene just before noon on Sunday, he said flames were shooting out of every window and door of 1238 2nd St., and the fire had already spread to one of the homes next door.

“The house of origin was completely destroyed and collapsed,” Barry said.

A woman who lived in the home was not there when flames broke out. Barry said she arrived before emergency responders and entered the home to try and rescue dogs that were inside.

The woman, who was not identified, sustained injuries and was flown to UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh for Treatment.

Barry said the dogs died in the fire.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the person who was injured,” Barry said.

He said a responding firefighter from Bentleyville Fire-Rescue was also injured after he came into contact with an electric line and sustained a mild shock.

Barry said that firefighter was conscious and alert following the incident and transferred to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

The weather conditions on Sunday made battling the blaze difficult, Barry said.

Firefighters needed to be rotated in and out because of the freezing temperatures, and at one point, first responders lost water pressure. Barry said that was likely because of a frozen connection, but was resolved quickly.

The frigid temperatures also caused slippery conditions, as water used to fight the fire turned to ice on the sidewalks. Barry said the borough’s street department came out to spread salt to lessen the risk of falling.

One neighboring homes to 1238 2nd St. that caught on fire had about one-third of the roof burned away, as well as heavy smoke and water damage to the upstairs. Barry said that the home was in the process of being renovated. The house to the other side sustained siding damage from the heat of the fire.

The Red Cross is assisting those who were displaced.

Barry said the cause and origin of the fire is still unknown, and under investigation by the state police fire marshal.

Along with South Brownsville and Bentlyville, fire departments that responded included Brownsville, Hiller, Grindstone, Republic along with assistance from three fire departments from Washington County and Brownsville EMS and Hiller EMS.