JAY TOWNSHIP – Fire officials have initiated an investigation into a blaze that caused an estimated $250,000 worth of damage to a residence and detached garage Wednesday at 1197 River Rd. in Jay Township, reported the state police at Ridgway.
The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal and the Jay Township Fire Department investigated the origin and cause of the fire. The fire destroyed a single-story, wooden-framed residence, as well as damaged a detached garage.
One firefighter sustained minor injuries; he was transported to the Elk Regional Medical Center. He was treated and released from the hospital, state police said. The victims, Dennis L. Celinski and Curtis L. Piszenski, both of Weedville, were at home at the time of the fire but escaped uninjured.
The flames from the fire also damaged a Windstream fiber optic cable and West Penn electrical lines. This caused a telephone outage in the area, state police said. SR 555 was also closed between Caledonia and Weedville during the fire suppression operation.