84-year-old Connellsville man killed in fire

An 84-year-old man was killed and six people who lived in neighboring homes were displaced after a Friday morning fire in Connellsville, authorities said.

Ronald Veshnesky, was pronounced dead by Fayette County Deputy Coroner Bob Furin. The blaze destroyed one home and damaged two others on the 400 block of East Murphy Avenue.

Three firefighters were hurt, one of them requiring treatment at a Pittsburgh hospital.

Jeff Layton, chief of the New Haven Hose Company, said Veshnesky’s two-story wood frame home was engulfed in flames when he arrived. The fire was reported by a nearby resident shortly before 6:30 a.m.

“The fire already was extending into the structure on the left,” Layton said. “This neighborhood is known for homes that are real tight up against each other.”

He estimated two adjacent homes that were damaged by the fire were little more than 10 feet from the Veshnesky home.

Two adults and a teen were able to flee when flames spread to their home. One of the adults, a woman, was treated for smoke inhalation at Connellsville’s nearby Highlands Hospital, Layton said.

The three residents of another neighboring house weren’t home at the time. Firefighters were able to rescue two cats from one of the houses, Layton said.

“We tried to knock the fire down and get it somewhat under control so we could try to make entry,” he said of the Veshnesky home. “But the fire quickly spread to the other two structures.

“The magnitude of the fire and the building’s older construction made it difficult getting the fire under control quickly.”

Just as fire crews were attempting to enter the home, a side wall suddenly collapsed, Layton said.

He said a firefighter from the Connellsville Township department was struck by debris and was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital, where he was treated for neck and shoulder injuries and was later released.

At other points as they battled the blaze, two New Haven firefighters suffered bruises and were treated at the scene, according to Layton.

“Everybody does everything they can to try to get to a trapped fire victim” he said. “Unfortunately, sometimes you can’t get to them.”

The fire is not considered suspicious, but officials initially listed the cause and point of origin as undetermined because of the extent of the damage, Layton said. A state police fire marshal is investigating the blaze.

Neighbors told TribLive news partner WTAE they woke up to what sounded like fireworks or gunshots and then an explosion. Fire officials told the station ammunition and black powder in the house likely caused the noises.

Scottdale was among eight surrounding fire departments that assisted in the firefighting — a process that stretched over eight hours, with the Veshnesky home eventually reduced to rubble.

The Red Cross offered help to the displaced residents. Damage ranged from moderate to extensive to their homes, Layton said.