Couple left homeless as fire destroys home in Marguerite, Unity Township
Debra Stewart was sitting with family members in the side yard of her home in the Unity village of Marguerite on Saturday afternoon when they heard a hissing sound, then saw thick black smoke pouring out of the bottom of her mobile home.
By the time they could get to the front door to let their cat escape, the fire and heat prevented them from rescuing their pet, which died.
The blaze destroyed the home on Dos Drive, said her adult son, Richard Stewart.
Richard does not live there but his father, also named Richard, and Debra, his mother, are left homeless.
The home is just half a block from the Marguerite Fire Hall, but when firefighters arrived a few minutes later after receiving the call about 1 p.m., it was engulfed in flames, said Marguerite fire Chief Scot Graham.
No injuries to people were reported.
The chief said the fire was in the underside of the mobile home and in the floor. It took about 20 minutes to get the fire under control.
The cause is being investigated by a state police fire marshal.
Richard Stewart said firefighters told him there was nothing salvageable in the mobile home, which had gaping holes in both the front and back.
His parents will stay with family in the area, Richard Stewart said.
His father, was golfing in Canton, Ohio, when he was informed about the fire and was driving home Saturday afternoon.
Several Unity fire departments assisted at the scene.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
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