Charleroi man dies after his vehicle hits house
A Charleroi building needed to be partially demolished after it was struck by this car late Thursday night.
A Charleroi building needed to be partially demolished after it was struck by this car late Thursday night.
CHARLEROI – A Charleroi man died Thursday night after his vehicle struck a house causing enough damage to require the partial demolition of the building.
Charles H. Matava, 69, died at 10:26 p.m. in Mon Valley Hospital after his sport-utility vehicle struck the house at Eighth Street and Lincoln Avenue, Washington County Coroner Tim Warco said.
The cause and manner of Matava’s death were pending an investigation, Warco said.
Matava needed to be extricated from the vehicle following the 9 p.m. crash, Charleroi Fire Department said.
The department said the borough’s public works crew was called to demolish the house because it sustained extensive structural damage.
“Twenty percent of the whole building had to be demolished for public safety,” Charleroi fire Chief Bob Whiten said.
He said a medical helicopter was summoned, but not used due to the extent of Matava’s injuries.
He said the cause of the accident on a steep street was unknown.
The victim’s son was in the vehicle at the time of the crash, and he suffered minor injuries, Whiten said.