Two men in a Latrobe house were treated for smoke inhalation early Saturday morning at Independence Latrobe Hospital as a result of a fire that damaged the residence, Latrobe’s fire chief said.
The men, whose identities were not immediately available, suffered from smoke inhalation from the fire, Fire Chief John Brasile said Saturday.
The fire started when an ash tray was dumped into a waste can in the first floor bedroom of the house at 1632 Catherine St., according to the chief.
Brasile said he was the first to arrive on the scene of the fire, which was reported at 5 a.m.
He could see the flames in the bedroom and was able to extinguish the fire using about five gallons of water within about five minutes.
The fire was contained to the bedroom and there was not any structural damage, but it blew out a window and caused extensive smoke and soot damage throughout the house, Brasile said.
“It could have been bad,” Brasile said.
The fire chief estimated damages at about $25,000. The occupants would have to find a temporary residence because the fire damage left the house uninhabitable, Brasile said.
Latrobe firefighters were the only firefighters at the scene, the chief said.
