Woman dies in fire in Bullskin Township
A 58-year-old woman was killed early Saturday after a fire broke out in a trailer in Bullskin Township.
Tracy Walker was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:20 a.m. by Fayette County Deputy Coroner Clint Westcoat.
Bullskin Township Fire Chief Kyle Quinn said firefighters were called to 593 North Bellview Road for a house fire with a woman inside about 2:19 a.m.
Quinn said the single-story modular home was in flames when firefighters arrived, and high winds hampered their efforts to extinguish the blaze.
“The wind kind of complicated things,” said Quinn.
At the time of the fire, Fayette County was under a high wind advisory issued by the National Weather Service, and wind gusts reached 60 mph.
Four other people who had been inside – two adults and two children – escaped uninjured.
But Fayette County Coroner Dr. Phillip Reilly said Walker might have run back inside to rescue some pets.
Reilly said the likely cause of death is smoke inhalation, but an autopsy has been scheduled and the state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
Reilly said an autopsy report won’t be available for at least a month, as the department awaits test results.
Firefighters from several departments assisted, including Connellsville and Scottdale fire departments, and tankers from Normalville, Springfield, Morrell, Everson, and West Leisenring also responded.