CHARLEROI, Pa. — A Charleroi man is in a Pittsburgh hospital after being rescued from a house fire Tuesday afternoon. The man was trapped on the second floor of his home on McKean Avenue when the fire broke out around 10:50 a.m.
Charleroi’s fire chief, Robert Whiten Jr., tells Channel 11 the town has only two paid firefighters, and both were on duty at the time. One operated the fire truck, while the other rushed into the burning home.
That’s when two street department workers jumped into action to help save the man’s life. One of those workers is also a firefighter in Belle Vernon.
“The street department luckily has a volunteer from Belle Vernon,” Whiten said. “He keeps his gear in the truck. He went in to assist getting him down the back steps, and another guy from the street department helped get him to the ambulance.”
The man was flown by medical helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital. His condition has not yet been released.
Chief Whiten praised the team effort but says the rescue highlights a larger issue facing towns like Charleroi: a lack of staffing and funding for fire departments.
“It’s a small town. You use what you got,” he said. “Thank God there’s a guy who was a fireman, and a guy from the street department just doing what he was told. Jumping into action. You’re short-handed, you take any kind of help you can get.”
Whiten says volunteer firefighter numbers have dropped dramatically in recent years, leaving small towns without enough coverage.
“Oh my God, it’s so important and people don’t understand,” Whiten said. “I have one full-time and one part-time. I’m trying to get at least a couple more for an afternoon shift. The volunteer ranks aren’t there anymore.”
He added that concerns about raising taxes are understandable, but the cost of public safety can’t be ignored.
“People don’t understand. They worry about raising taxes,” he said. “But the big picture is public safety. You have to have it. It costs money to do it. They did their job, and I’m proud of them.”
The fire also spread to the home next door, causing damage. Thankfully, no other injuries were reported. The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal is still investigating the cause of the fire.
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