Couple sees nearly 50-year home engulfed in flames
FRANKLIN TWP — Tom and Roberta McGregor watched their residence of nearly 50 years engulfed in flames Wednesday, July 26, making it out safely with their two dogs.
“We lost just about everything,” Tom McGregor said. “What isn’t burned is going to be smoke- and water-damaged.”
The fire began in the couple’s garage around 4 p.m., according to McGregor, where it was still smoldering almost an hour after the structure collapse.
“All my life I wanted a garage fixed-up the way I liked it,” he said. “I had everything in there, I had everything arranged neatly — I could go in there and I could work and do my thing — and everything is gone now.”
Tom said he purchased the property in 1973, initially living in a mobile home.
“My wife and I built that home ourselves,” McGregor said.
Three years later, their home was complete and the couple moved in, renovating as the years went on. He said the most recent renovation was a new “top” for the garage constructed by local Amish friends.
“And that was all paneled in there — my granddaughter lived in there for a while — I mean, it was nice, it was a nice little hideaway,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s not anymore.”
Crews were dispatched to the fire at 126 Country Lane Road around 4:07 p.m. Chief Nate Blackwood, of the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department, said his department went three minutes later.
“The homeowner is not sure what could’ve caused it,” Blackwood said. “He was in the garage earlier today, but he was actually in the shower when they realized that the garage was on fire.”
Tom said he was alerted to the fire by his wife.
“As I get out and dry off, she’s screaming, ‘The house is on fire’ — all I have is pajama bottoms,” he said. “Right now, all my clothes are burned up in there. My truck’s in the garage, it’s gone. My tractor’s gone.”
While the family evacuated, 13 local fire departments responded to the three-alarm blaze.
“We pulled three hand-lines as soon as we got here, and we tried to cut the fire off from extending any further into the residence, but it was already up under the tin roof and into the house,” Blackwood said. “We sent an interior crew on inside and then upstairs and they attempted to knock it down.”
He said the home’s new tin roof proved one of the biggest issues.
“It held the heat, didn’t let fire vent out anywhere,” Blackwood said. “And it ran the fire from the garage the whole way to the other end of the house through the attic.”
Crews were forced to cut massive portions of the roof off to vent flames, with fires still being reported over two hours later. Blackwood said crews were only able to work in the heat for 15 to 30 minute at a time, necessitating the three-alarm call.
“Your eyes get worn out a lot faster, they’re running out of air and they need to step out, so I wanted to get more fire men moving here,” he said. “That way the guys could take a break and switch out.”
As the fire died down and crews salvaged what belongings they could for the family, Blackwood said crews had initially found only one of their dogs — Bentley.
McGregor simply said he was looking forward to rebuilding with his Amish friends and would stay with family in the meantime.
“I don’t get excited over nothing, you know, if it happens it happens,” McGregor said. “Getting mad and getting upset isn’t going to do anything.”
As McGregor finished speaking, Blackwood approached him saying they had spotted their other dog — Major.
“I think your dog made it out,” Blackwood said. “He’s out there, he just came out of the woods — the big black one.”
“Yeah, that’s him,” McGregor said, with a chuckle.
Who responded?
Prospect Volunteer Fire Department, Center Township Volunteer Fire Department, Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company, Center Township Volunteer Fire Department, Connoquessing Volunteer Fire Company, Butler Township Volunteer Fire District, East Butler Volunteer Fire Department, Evans City Area Volunteer Fire Department, Oneida Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Herman Volunteer Fire Company, Unionville Volunteer Fire Company, West Sunbury Volunteer Fire Department and Portersville Muddy Creek Township Volunteer Fire Department responded to the three-alarm fire.
