Lower Merion Firefighters Commended For March House Fire Response

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — Last week, the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners took time at their meeting to recognized members of the Merion Fire Company of Ardmore and the Penn Wynne-Overbrook Hills Fire Company.

At the Oct. 18 meeting, the members were honored for their efforts rescuing a homeowner from a house fire at 618 Sussex Road on March 20.

Firefighter Powers was awarded a Unit Citation along with others from Penn Wynne for their
work on the fireground.

Merritt Awards were presented to Assistant Chief Van Winkle, Assistant Chief Paolone, Firefighter Cantrell, and Engineer Montgomery for their search for the
victim.

Deputy Chief Thomas Hayden was presented with a Heroism Award for his lead role in making
the rescue.

On hand was the homeowner who gave tearful thanks to the firefighters involved for saving her life.

Lower Merion Fire Department Chief James McCoy told Patch the fire started in the rear sun room of a home on the 600 block of Sussex Road.

Responders were dispatched at about 11:36 a.m. to 618 Sussex Road for a report of a fire with a person trapped inside the property.

Crews showed up in 5 minutes and deployed a hose line and a search team to battle the fire and find the person inside.

Within 10 minutes, a woman in the home was taken to Lankenau Medical Center by EMS then flown to a Philadelphia hospital, McCoy said.

The fire was under control in about 45 minutes thanks to work by all seven of Lower Merion Township's fire companies, which brought 18 fire apparatuses to the scene.

Crews remained on scene to tamp down hot spots within the home.

McCoy said while the fire's cause is still being investigated by the Lower Merion Fire Marshal's Office as well as Lower Merion and Pennsylvania State police, it began in a back sun room of the home.

The fire spread from the sun room to a back deck, which had a propane grill on it.

The fire caused the propane tank to explode, McCoy said.

Flames spread to the first and second floor of the home, causing extensive damage, according to McCoy.

No one else was hurt in the fire.