A home was heavily damaged following a fire in Jefferson Township late Wednesday morning.
Crews were called to the 600 block of Mushrush Road around 11:30 a.m. after neighbors saw smoke coming from the roof.
Multiple crews including those from Saxonburg, Penn Township, and Herman arrived on scene to find a fully involved working fire.
“I was the first on scene and saw a lot of smoke in the duplex,” Michael Krchelich, Assistant Fire Chief with Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company said. “No one was inside at the time of the fire.”
It was soon elevated to a second alarm fire and additional crews from Butler Township, East Butler, and Middlesex were called in to help battle the blaze. The structure is considered a total loss.
At one point while crews were fighting the flames, there was a partial collapse inside the home, leading firefighters to briefly evacuate the duplex.
Crews were able to clear the scene after about four hours. PA State Police will lead the investigation into the cause along with insurance company representatives.