‘Extreme hoarding conditions’ pose problems in Union Township mobile home fire

UNION TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Emergency crews responded to a mobile home on fire in Union Township early Wednesday morning.

Washington County 911 said units were called to Hidden Valley Drive just before 6 a.m.

Firefighters told Channel 11 the two-alarm fire broke out in South Park Mobile Estates in Union Township. Neighbors said the smoke was so thick that they couldn’t even tell for sure where it was coming from at first.

“[I was] very, very scared. I actually called for my daughter, I said, ‘Come on, we gotta go,’” said Aimee Martin.

Firefighters said flames were shooting out of the sides of the house and were also coming out underneath, compromising the floors. That was just one of the issues they faced putting out the fire.

“[There were] extreme hoarding conditions. Crews had a hard time getting in to make entry,” said chief Lenny Bailey of Elrama Volunteer Fire Company.

Bailey said they had to cut holes in the house from the outside to get inside.

“It’s extremely challenging, and it just adds a lot of time to the scene, so the overhaul process is lengthy, at this point,” said Chief Jacob Lawrence of the Finleyville Volunteer Fire Department.

Bailey said the woman was able to make it out safely, but some cats were killed. Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the fire.

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