Many Elrama neighbors still in shock after fire that killed pregnant woman

ELRAMA, Pa. — Many Elrama neighbors are still in shock after a deadly fire last week.

“I was devastated,” said Jon Studvick. “I still am.”

>> Woman dead, firefighter taken to hospital after fire in Elrama

Studvick and many others are heartbroken after learning Sabrina Boyle, 19, died at the hospital Friday after being pulled from a house fire overnight. When he saw the fire Friday morning, he was worried.

“I didn’t think anybody was out [of the house],” he told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek. “It looked like a tornado of smoke going straight up. That’s what I saw.”

He watched as firefighters worked frantically to get to Sabrina – who was 23 weeks pregnant. He said Sabrina’s boyfriend, who is also a volunteer firefighter in Elrama, didn’t want to leave the house until Sabrina could be rescued. Once outside, he said firefighters sprayed them, another firefighter, and the house with water.

“People were scrambling, people were yelling, they were setting ladders up to get in there as fast as they could, but they literally ran into a wall of flames and ran through it to get in there,” Studvick said.

Fire Chief Lenny Bailey tells Havranek that because of community complaints, the fire whistle at the fire station doesn’t go off between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

The Studvicks think that needs to change.

“I honestly believe if that fire whistle had gone off, there would have been enough ample warning, at least a minute or two, that would have saved a life,” Studvick said.

Chief Bailey said it didn’t impact their response, and firefighters were on the scene immediately.

The Studvicks say their hearts are with the families.

“Praying for them?” Havranek asked Stacey Studvick. “Absolutely. Oh, absolutely,” she said.

If you would like to help the family who lost their home, click here.

If you would like to help Sabrina Boyle’s family, click here.

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