Cambria County coroner: One dead in Pine Street house fire

David Hurst, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

May 9—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — A Johnstown man was pronounced dead after fire crews battled a house fire inside his Pine Street home early Thursday.

An autopsy completed Thursday showed Alexander M Perring, 32, died of thermal and smoke inhalation injuries sustained in the fire, Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees said.

He was found in his bedroom, Lees said.

It was one of two Hornerstown house fires overnight — but at this point, there's no indication the incidents were related, Johnstown Fire Chief Bob Statler said.

The initial call, at 12:46 a.m., sent firefighters to a vacant Horner Street residence, he said.

Statler said there was heavy fire on the first floor, but crews were able to douse it soon after.

While crews were cleaning up at the scene, just before 2 a.m., they were alerted to the second fire on the 700 block of Pine Street — just over a block away, he said

The fire was reported by a family living on the other side of the rental when they smelled smoke — and firefighters were alerted that a resident was believed to be trapped inside, Statler said.

Fire crews forced entry into the locked apartment and were able to knock down the fire with handlines in an interior attack, Statler said.

Perring was found deceased in a second floor bedroom, Lees said.

His manner of death remains under investigation, the coroner said.

Statler said the cause of the fire is also undetermined at this point.

While a state police fire marshal is assisting in the investigation, the fatal fire was not viewed as suspicious as of Thursday morning, he added.

It's a different story with the Horner Street blaze, he said.

The initial fire occurred in a home that was unoccupied and utilities, including electricity, were previously shut off, Statler said.

A fire marshal is also working with Johnstown Fire department and city detectives to determine where the fire started within the home and what caused it to ignite, he said.

He said it was too early to tell when investigations will be complete on either fire.

But as of this point, "there's no indication that they are related," Statler added.