Nov 5, 2020 2 min read

CANONSBURG – A man escaped his burning Canonsburg home Thursday afternoon when a space heater caught fire, destroying his residence and heavily damaging a neighboring house.

Firefighters from several departments were called to the house fire at 220 E. College St. about 12:30 p.m. and found the structure engulfed in flames.

The resident, identified by neighbors as Phil Miller, was able to grab his cat and get out safely.

Eric Chandler, a borough councilman who lives directly across the street from Miller, said he heard shouting outside and came out to find the house on fire. Chandler said Miller then moved his car to get it away from the burning two-story house.

“It was engulfed,” Chandler said. “He was getting into his car and the porch was engulfed. It just went up quick.”

Chandler and another neighbor, Dave DeLuca, both said Miller told them that he had just plugged in a space heater when it began to spark.

“Before he knew it, the place was on fire,” DeLuca said.

Canonsburg police Officers Brian Dapra and Tom O’Rourke arrived shortly after and helped to get a family of five and their three dogs out of the home next door to the fire. The two officers escorted the family out through a back door, although their house sustained heavy damage on one side.

The officers said Miller, who was not injured in the fire, left the scene with his cat to get it checked at a local veterinarian for what they said were minor burns.

Canonsburg fire Chief Tim Solobay said the initial investigation indicates the fire was caused by the space heater. He said the state police fire marshal was at the scene investigating.