Cause of Jeannette fire believed to be accidental

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Cause of Jeannette fire believed to be accidental

Renatta Signorini | Thursday, April 16, 2020 2:42 p.m.

Renatta Signorini | Tribune-Review

Three homes on Gaskill Avenue in Jeannette were damaged when a fire broke out on April 9, 2020.

Jeannette Fire Chief Bill Frye believes a fire that damaged three homes this month was accidental.

Frye said Thursday that he believes the April 9 blaze was electrical and started in the space behind a wall on the first floor of the Gaskill Avenue home. No one was there at the time. There was substantial damage to the home owned by Pamela Kwaczala, Frye said.

A state police fire marshal is investigating.

The blaze spread quickly to two neighboring houses just feet away shortly after 4 a.m. No one was hurt. A duplex that was damaged is owned by Charles Schade, according to county records. A woman escaped from a unit there after firefighters woke her.

The other home, which is vacant, belongs to the estate of deceased owners and also was damaged, Frye said.

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