Fallowfield Township man, 2 dogs die in fire
Firefighters said George Milliken was unresponsive when they arrived at the Smith Street home.
An early-morning house fire on Smith Street in Fallowfield Township claimed the life of a 66-year-old man and his two dogs Monday, marking the township’s first fatal fire in roughly 25 years.
Crews were dispatched at 8:32 a.m. after a neighbor called 911 to report smoke coming from a home.
“We pulled up to a single-story family home with smoke showing from all four sides,” said Chris Ceccarelli, a paid firefighter with Fallowfield Township.
Firefighters encountered heavy smoke at the front door and were told someone was trapped inside.
“With a report of one entrapped, the second engine went to the back and came in through the basement,” Ceccarelli said. “They found a gentleman who was unresponsive at the time of rescue.”
The man was removed from the home by 8:52 a.m. and handed over to emergency medical personnel two minutes later.
“He was pulled out of the home by 8:52 and passed over to emergency services by 8:54,” Ceccarelli said.
George Steven Milliken was transported by Rostraver West Newton Emergency Services to Penn Highlands Mon Valley Hospital in Carroll Township, where he was pronounced dead at 9:44 a.m., according to the Washington County Coroner’s Office.
The fire was already well involved when crews arrived and is believed to have started in the basement, Ceccarelli said. It was knocked down around noon.
The home sustained heavy smoke and water damage, but is not believed to be a total loss.
The official cause remains under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal.
“It’s certainly not a good day. It wasn’t an easy morning,” Ceccarelli said.
After clearing the scene, crews returned to the station for what firefighters call a “hot wash” to review the call and check in with one another. Counselors are available to firefighters following difficult incidents, he said.
The manner and cause of death are pending autopsy results.
Firefighters from Fallowfield Township were assisted by departments from Charleroi, Bentleyville, Lock Four, Ellsworth, California, Roscoe and Stockdale, as well as RWNES.
No other injuries were reported.
