Pickup truck crashes into Dunlevy home
The impact moved the structure several inches and caused it to be unsafe for the two families who are living there.
A pickup truck struck a multi-family home along Route 88 in Dunlevy Tuesday morning, pushing the first floor several inches out of alignment and leaving the building condemned.
Fire Capt. Matt Prentice inspects the damage to a house along Route 88 in Dunlevy. Charleroi Volunteer Fire Department
Charleroi firefighters were dispatched at 8:45 a.m. after receiving an automated iPhone crash notification, which was later updated to a report of a vehicle into a house.
Charleroi Fire Chief Robert Whiten Jr. said crews arrived to find a pickup truck had struck the corner of the home, causing structural damage.
One person in the vehicle was able to get out of the truck before emergency crews arrived and was transported by emergency medical services to a local hospital for evaluation.
Firefighters also extinguished a small fire in the truck’s engine compartment and began working to stabilize the damaged building.
Whiten said the truck only partially entered the structure, but the impact affected multiple parts of the building.
“The truck barely got the bumper into the house, but it caught both walls,” Whiten said. “Even though it didn’t go far into the house, it impacted the whole structure.”
The building, which contains two apartments, was occupied by two families at the time of the crash. A woman who lives in the first-floor apartment told first responders she had just moved away from the area where the truck struck moments before the impact.
“She said she had just made her coffee and moved, and then boom, it hit,” Whiten said.
Although the truck did not travel far into the home, the force of the collision shifted the structure several inches.
“It pushed the first floor over while the second floor stayed where it was,” Whiten said. “The whole house shifted about four to six inches.”
As part of the response, firefighters used stabilization equipment carried on the rescue truck, including wooden 4-by-4 and 6-by-6 supports, to reinforce the structure and prevent further movement or collapse.
“We carry 4-by-4s and 6-by-6s on the rescue truck,” Whiten said. “We make a quick evaluation, see what’s deficient as far as stabilization, look for weak spots and try to get it supported the best we can.”
Whiten, who also serves as Dunlevy’s code officer, said the building was determined to be unsafe.
“The house ended up about six inches off from being stable,” he said. “Basically the first floor shifted and the second floor stayed where it was, so I had to condemn it.”
Utilities to the building were shut off following the crash. A company, Board Up, was called to secure the damaged area and close the opening left by the truck.
“They boarded up the hole and secured it so if it rains, water won’t be getting in and out of the structure,” Whiten said.
The first-floor tenant, whose apartment sustained the most damage, told first responders she planned to stay with a family member in West Newton until she can return home.
Whiten said she had renters insurance and the building owner also carries insurance on the property.
He could not provide additional information for the other family affected.
Emergency crews remained on scene for about two hours while firefighters stabilized the structure and secured the building.
Traffic along Route 88 was shut down in both directions for about an hour and a half while emergency crews worked at the scene.
“There was no way to keep traffic moving with all the equipment and crews working there,” Whiten said.
Additional fire departments were placed on standby during the incident in case CFD received another call while on scene.
Charleroi firefighters were assisted on scene by Charleroi Regional Police, who handled traffic control, Boarded Up, Rostraver West Newton EMS and Bujanowski Towing. RESA Regional Police are handling the investigation.
