Child and Teen Perish as Fire Guts PA Home

Sep. 29—JOHNSTOWN, PA — A child and a teenager died in a fast-moving fire that gutted a two-story house on Highland Avenue in Johnstown's Moxham neighborhood early Wednesday.

When firefighters arrived to battle the 1:30 a.m. blaze, they found three homes on fire.

Six people lived in the home where the fire started. Four got out with one transported to Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees said.

"One child was found dead on the second floor and we had a teenager who was just pulled from the first floor," Lees said Wednesday morning.

Identities of the individuals was not released.

"It was very difficult to get to the individual because of the roof and the second floor collapsed onto the first floor," Lees said.

Autopsies on the two victims are scheduled for Wednesday.

DNA and dental records may be needed to confirm their identities, Lees said.

"It was a very fast-moving fire," he said.

A state police fire marshal was at the scene taking photographs to determine the cause.

Neighbor Brandon Offman said he awoke to find the house across the street in flames and called 911.

"I heard a boom," he said. "I ran out in my bare feet and called 911. I said there was a fully involved structure fire with entrapment.

"I stood in front of the house and screamed because I was going to run in there in my bare feet," Offman said.

"I'm going to remember this day for the rest of my life."

City firefighters were joined by crews from Richland Township and West Hills. West End EMS, 7th Ward Ambulance, Upper Yoder Township and Riverside EMS were at the scene.

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