A New Kensington home is destroyed following a fire early Saturday morning.
Crews were dispatched at 12:47 a.m. to the 500 block of Oates Boulevard, New Kensington Fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. said.
“In my lifetime — I’ve been on the books as a firefighter for 40 years — this is the absolute coldest fire we have ever fought,” Saliba said. “The temperature gauge in my truck registered minus 12 degrees.”
The fire was ruled accidental, Saliba said. It started in the home’s basement, near a work bench, he said.
“Due to the damage, the fire marshal is unable to determine exactly what caused the fire,” Saliba said.
The two occupants of the home, a married couple, made it out of the house. Saliba identified them Saturday afternoon as Andre Keifer Jr., 55, and Michonne Olbeter, 53.
Both were taken to a hospital by medics and released early Saturday, Saliba said. The man was covered in soot. Both suffered smoke inhalation.
“From what medics told me, they should be OK,” Saliba said.
The chief said he was in contact with the American Red Cross for arrangements for the couple.
Sub-zero temperatures were clearly a factor, and it took crews about four hours to extinguish the fire, Saliba said.
Saliba said water quickly turned to ice, ladders froze and breathing apparatuses, gloves and bunker gear iced up. Firefighters rotated into a rehab tent and truck to stay hydrated and keep warm.
“We had to literally bust the ice off of our coats to open them up,” Saliba said. “The sleeves were frozen. Gloves were frozen.”
No firefighters were injured, Saliba said.
“The air was so dense outside,” he said. “The volunteers did a phenomenal job with the conditions they were dealt with. I can’t thank them and commend them enough for what they had to go up with.”
Crews from New Kensington, Arnold, Lower Burrell, Plum, Oakmont, Tarentum, Brackenridge and Harrison responded, according to the chief.
