Mother, son killed in Salem fire

A mother and son were killed in their Salem Township home early Sunday morning when fire engulfed the two-story structure, collapsing the second floor onto the first floor, a fire official said.

Helen W. Staats, 84, and Davd J. Staats, 57, both of 1666 Route 819, were pronounced dead at the scene at 7:30 a.m., the Westmoreland County Coroner said. The cause and manner of death is pending the results of the autopsies, the coroner said.

The house one mile north of the Forbes Road fire hall was fully engulfed in flames when the first truck arrived on the scene, shortly after receiving the alarm at 12:57 a.m., Forbes Road Fire Chief Bob Rosatti said. The fire had burst through the windows of the wood-framed structure when they arrived on the scene, Rosatti said.

“There was no way we could get anyone inside to fight the fire,” and save the victims, Rosatti said. One victim was on the second floor and the other victim was on the first floor, the chief said.

A state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze, Rosatti said.

Although Route 819 between Route 22 and Greensburg is heavily traveled, Rosatti said at that time of the there was little traffic and it was unknown how long the fire had been burning.

Salem firefighters were assisted by units from Slickville, Hannastown, Crabtree Greensburg and North Hempfield, as well as tanker trucks from White Valley, Dry Ridge and Lloydsville. Rosatti said that the tankers shuttled water from a hydrant at the Forbes Road fire hall to the scene of the fire.

Firefighters were at the scene until about 7:30 a.m., Rosatti said.