NEWS

Farm house lost to fire
By Michael Aubele
VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
Sunday, December 10, 2006

Frank Deemer said the fire spread so quickly that he couldn't do a thing to stop it. The 78-year-old said he was using a power grinder in his living room at about 10 a.m. on Saturday when a spark jumped off the tool and landed on his couch. The couch ignited and Deemer and his wife, Sara, 77, doused it with water and baking soda, but couldn't work quickly enough to prevent the fire from developing into a full-blown blaze that destroyed their old farm house at 3263 Garvers Ferry Road.

The Deemers bought the farmhouse in 1970 and raised their six children there. Frank Deemer said the family owns about 85 acres around the house, which he used to farm. Deemer said the house was built in 1890. He also said he recently spent thousands of dollars to have the house renovated, which included having an Amish crew install new siding.

Kiski Township fire Chief Rich Frain said the first floor of the two-story house was fully involved when his crew arrived. "It progressed quickly to the second floor," he said. "With the age of a house like this, fires progress rapidly." Frain said his department and three others had to truck in water to fight the fire. "This is a no-hydrant area," he said. In addition to Kiski Township, crews from Bethel, Burrell Township, North Apollo, Oklahoma and Parks were on scene. Vandergrift ambulance also responded, Frain said. Frain ruled the fire accidental.

Justin Guido/Valley News Dispatch

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