What caused the devastating house fire along Clark Street in Somerset?
SOMERSET — What caused the devastating fire along Clark Street in the borough is not determined yet, but what is known is the heroics of those involved that saved a woman's life.
On March 26, a fire trapped a woman in a basement bedroom, while a grandfather and two young children were able to make it to safety because they were upstairs in the house.
The call came in and Somerset Borough Police Officer Kevin Huzsek was the first on the scene followed within a minute or two by Sgt. Stephen Borosky and Officer Eric Grus. Quickly after the officers arrived at the burning house, the fire departments arrived. But, there were no seconds to spare. A woman was trapped. The fire was fierce, the smoke heavy. The officers immediately acted, saving the woman's life.
Huzsek, who was not wearing any protective gear, took a deep breath and went inside by smashing a window, where he handed the woman out to Grus and Borosky. He was overcome with the smoke and needed assistance to get out of the burning structure himself. Borosky helped Huzsek, while Grus attended to the woman once she was placed in the backyard, safe from the burning house.
At this time, the woman remains at a Pittsburgh hospital for her treatment of injuries.
What: Somerset police officers save trapped woman in house fire; two treated for smoke inhalation
"The three officers should be praised and commended for their response at the house fire, especially Officer Kevin Huzsek, whose prompt and vigorous action entering a burning structure by breaking a window in the smoke-filled room and climbing in to rescue a female who was injured and in imminent danger," said Somerset Borough Police Sgt. Rich Appel, in charge at the scene that day.
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"I got there to provide supplimental investigation into the cause and origin of the fire in conjunction with the fire marshall," Appel said. "I was there to support the injured officers and to make sure they were OK." He then went to the hospital to check on the officers there being treated for smoke inhalation. They were released later that day.
Somerset Volunteer Fire Department safety officer/PIO, Dave Sube, said that the "quick attack of the fire" from the Somerset fire crew, mutual aid by other departments, the sheriff and his deputies and the Somerset Borough Police Department saved a life. "We want to extend our gratitude to Huzsek (and crews) for the heroic act. It would have been a different outcome," he said.
At the scene, six county volunteer fire units sent crews and trucks to assist Somerset, the lead fire department, to put out the fire in less than an hour. According to Somerset County 911, they were from Listie, Friedens, Sipesville, Rockwood, Berlin and Meyersdale fire departments, as well as the Somerset and Berlin EMS.
According to Somerset Volunteer Fire Department 2nd Assistant Chief Bart Close, who was in a meeting at the former Newberry's building when the fire occurred, he could see the smoke from the borough diamond. He was in charge at the fire scene and said all the rooms in the house were badly charred except one that appeared to be a children's bedroom.
"The door was shut and there was no damage in there," Close said. "Which is why we tell people when you go to bed at night, sleep with the door shut."
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Officers praised for saving woman in devastating Somerset house fire
