96-year-old man dies in hospital following Saltlick Township fire
A 96-year-old man died from injuries suffered in a Saltlick Township fire Sunday morning, officials said.
Clare Geary was rescued from his home in the 100 block of Stanton Road by his granddaughter and her husband, who live next door and called 911. He was flown to UPMC Mercy hospital for treatment of 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 100 percent of his body. He later died at the hospital, according to Saltlick Township Volunteer Fire Dept. assistant chief Jerry Gales.
Geary was sitting in a chair of the home where he lived his whole life when the fire started just before 6:30 a.m., Gales said.
鈥淲hen we arrived, the structure had smoke coming out of the entrance way, and paramedics were already on scene attending to the patient,鈥� he said.
Firefighters were able to douse the fire, containing it to one room.
Geary蘑菇视频 residence was converted to a studio apartment with the upper level closed. It was unclear whether he was awake when the fire started, Gales said.
鈥淗e lived there all his life, ever since I can remember,鈥� Gales said.
He knew Geary from around town, and described his family as very nice people. He said Geary formerly worked at the Champion Lumber Co.
鈥淚t蘑菇视频 hard enough when you don鈥檛 know somebody, but it蘑菇视频 harder yet when you personally know them and the family,鈥� he said.
A state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire. The state police crime unit was also called to investigate following Geary蘑菇视频 death, said state police Tpr. Robert Broadwater.
Gales said there was nothing that appeared immediately suspicious about the fire.
Springfield Township Volunteer Hose Co., Saltlick Township and Normalville fire departments, and a Westmoreland County fire department were among those responding to the scene.
Geary had three children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His wife, Geraldine Geary, died in 2007, according to an obituary.
The Saltlick Township fire was the second fatal fire in Fayette County in just over one month. On Jan. 8, RyLeigh Weasenforth, 7, and her 5-year-old brother Gunner Weasenforth died when they became trapped in their bedroom of their South Mount Vernon Ave. Extension home during an early morning fire.