2 Indiana County schoolchildren die in house fire
Two United School District students died in a fire early Sunday morning in Indiana County.
“A young person’s death is always tragic, and the sudden loss of life can have a profound effect on surviving students,” United Superintendent Richard Lucas said in a statement.
The fire at a home in the 900 block of Dilltown Heights Road in Buffington Township was reported just after 3 a.m., TribLive news partner WTAE reported.
According to WTAE, the students were in seventh and ninth grades. One adult was taken to a hospital, according to WTAE.
Their names have not been released. The fire was under investigation.
In his statement, Lucas said the school district has made arrangements to have support services in place for students and staff in need, including its counselors and members of the Indiana County Stress Management team.
Supports will be available at United Junior Senior High School beginning at 8 a.m. Monday and on Wednesday when students return to school.
“We ask that each member of our United family keep the families of these students in their thoughts and prayers as they grieve and seek to recover from this tragedy,” Lucas said.
Brian C. Rittmeyer, a Pittsburgh native and graduate of Penn State University's Schreyer Honors College, has been with the Trib since December 2000. He can be reached at brittmeyer@triblive.com.
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