11-04-2025
Woman Dies in House Fire After Pushing Her Mother, 89, Outside to Safety
A woman has died after she saved her 89-year-old mother in a Pennsylvania house fire, local authorities said.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, April 9, in Carroll Township, Perry County, according to a news release from the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), which was shared with PEOPLE.
Authorities said members of the Shermans Dale Fire Department and other surrounding fire crews responded to the first block of Barrick Hill Road about a house fire.
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"Additional reports advised two occupants were possibly trapped,' read the PSP's news release. 'One occupant was located outside the residence and flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital for treatment.'
'The second occupant was located inside the residence deceased,' the news release further stated.
The PSP's news release did not identify the victims and stated there were no reports of injuries among fire department personnel.
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According to Shermans Dale Fire Chief Mike Minich, the deceased woman, who was described to be in her 60s, had earlier saved her mother, who is in her 80s, PennLive reported.
The mother, who was found in the backyard of the home, was flown to a burn center for treatment, said Minich.
An assistant fire chief with the Landisburg Fire Company told NBC affiliate WGAL that the two lived together at the home, and the daughter pushed her mother out of the house to safety.
Minich added that the daughter had gone back inside the house possibly to try to rescue a dog, per PennLive.
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The outlet reported that the victims' ages were 67 and 89, citing property records.
Neighbor Paul Shatto described the 89-year-old mother as a sweet lady.
"It's just sad when it happened just close to home. She was a very nice lady. Very good person. I don't think I ever heard a bad word about her. So, yeah, she was a friend," Shatto, who said he didn't know the deceased daughter, told WGAL.
The PSP Fire Marshal Unit and Troop H-Newport Crime Unit are investigating the origin and cause of the fire, authorities said.
PEOPLE contacted the Shermans Dale Community Volunteer Fire Company for additional information on Friday, April 11, but they did not immediately respond.
Read the original article on People
