13 injured after car plows into fundraiser for 10 killed in house fire
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At least 13 people have been injured in Pennsylvania after a car plowed into a fundraiser event for the families of 10 people who died in a recent house fire.
The crash occurred at around 6.30pm on Saturday at a restaurant in Berwick, which was hosting a day-long event to raise money for the families of those killed in the fire earlier this month, which is under criminal investigation.
At least 13 people hurt in the crash were being triaged for medical care at nearby Geisinger Medical Center, WNEP-TV reported.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the crash was accidental, or the result of an intentional attack on the fundraiser.
At least 13 people have been injured in Pennsylvania after a car plowed into a fundraiser event for the families of 10 people who died in a recent house fire
The crash occurred at around 6.30pm on Saturday at a restaurant in Berwick, which was hosting a day-long event to raise money for the families of those killed in the fire
The areas around Center Street in Berwick were shut down after the crash, PA Homepage reported.
In a Facebook post, Intoxicology Department, the restaurant where Saturday’s fundraiser was held, said they will close their doors until further notice.
‘Today was an absolute tragedy. We will be closed until further notice. Please respect our privacy while we grieve and try to process the events that occurred. Thank you.’
Saturday’s victims were gathered at Intoxicology Department to raise money the families of those killed in the deadly fire in nearby Nescopeck on August 5.
It’s unclear what started the blaze in the home where 14 people lived, but Pennsylvania State Police said they had launched a ‘complex criminal investigation’.
State police said seven adults ranging from late teens to age 79 were killed along with children aged five, six and seven.
It’s unclear what started the deadly blaze in the home where 14 people lived, but Pennsylvania State Police said they had launched a ‘complex criminal investigation’
All 10 died of smoke inhalation, according to the Luzerne County coroner’s office.
A ruling on the manner of death – classifying the deaths as accidents or homicides – is pending the results of the state police investigation into the fire, officials said.
The county´s district attorney, Sam Sanguedolce, said a preliminary investigation suggests the fire broke out on the front porch at around 2.30am.
Three people were able to escape the blaze, which destroyed the structure. The cause remains under investigation.
Nescopeck is a small town on the Susquehanna River, about 20 miles southwest of Wilkes-Barre.
One volunteer firefighter arrived to battle the blaze only to discover the victims were his own family, authorities said.
Harold Baker, a volunteer firefighter in the town of Nescopeck, said the 10 victims included his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives.
Harold Baker, a volunteer firefighter in the town of Nescopeck, said he arrived to fight the blaze only to realize the victims were his own relatives
Two of the minor victims who were killed in the fire in Nescopeck in the early hours of August 5
He said his two children and the other young victims were visiting their aunt and uncle’s home for swimming and other summertime fun.
He said 13 dogs were also in the two-story home, but didn’t say if he knew whether any survived.
“All I wanted to do was go in there and get to these people, my family. That’s all that I was thinking about, getting in to them,” Baker said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.
Baker grabbed a hose and air pack, and started pouring water on the fire, desperate to make his way inside and calling out to his son. His chief realized whose house it was, and fellow firefighters escorted Baker back to the firehouse.
Developing story, more to follow.