Fire Headlines: Arsonist Found Hiding in Building, FD Getting Sued for Alcohol Sales

Here are your western Pennsylvania firefighting headlines for Thursday, June 25th, 2009

• Departments fought a residential structure fire in Hempfield Twp last night. [WPXI]

• Kind of a strange story in Donegal Twp where firefighters responded to and extinguished a fire at the American Legion Post 656, only to find the person accused of starting the fire hiding in a crawl space in the basement during the investigation.  I’m guessing the person they found A) Wasn’t sober and B) Not playing with a full deck.  I’m not sure what he was thinking to hide while there is an active fire going on.   Didn’t we just discuss a child fire survivor kit a couple of days ago developed by Captain Wyzomirski from PBF, maybe Captain Wyz can send one to this guy! [Observer-Reporter]

• Sad story in Salem Twp where a 18 year old girl that just graduated high school died after apparently crossing the center line and colliding with an oncoming vehicle. [KDKA]

• A Verona man died when a tire blewout in the tri-axle that he was driving and crashed on Route 66 in Westmoreland county. [Tribune-Review]

• More progress is being made related tot he Flight 93 Memorial in Shanksville. [Tribune-Review]

• Ugly news out of Greensburg, with Greensburg Hose No. 6 being sued for serving a person too much to drink at the company’s bar.  This country is unbelievable at this point anymore when it comes to the sue-happy society.  Sometimes lawsuits are justifyable, but in a ton of cases they are not.  When will people start admitting that they were wrong and take the blame and responsibility for their actions?  I’m guessing not until the legal system stops rewarding people for hiring crafty lawyers and twisting the system.  Hopefully Greensburg Hose No 6 will get out of this, but its already created bad press for them, so they are already behind the 8-ball in the public eye.  [Tribune-Review]

• Kitanning Firemen’s Band is hosting a 60th anniversary concert on Saturday. [Leader Times]

• Finally, our thoughts go out to Norm Auvil, a Pittsburgh EMS supervisor who was critically injured when a vehicle pulled in front of him and crashed while he was responding to the water rescue call in Frick Park yesterday.

Editor update – 01:10pm – Norm is home from the hospital and recovering.

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