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Crews Demolish Home Damaged in Fatal Fire

FORTY FORT — Crews knocked down a home on Monday almost a year after a deadly fire ripped through it. It was the first deadly fire in Forty Fort in more t...
forty fort home

FORTY FORT -- Crews knocked down a home on Monday almost a year after a deadly fire ripped through it. It was the first deadly fire in Forty Fort in more than 100 years.

A lot of dust and perhaps even more tears filled the air on Yates Street in Forty Fort as a fire-damaged home was torn down almost a year after a deadly fire ripped through it last October.

"It is just a house, but it was our home," said former resident Michelle Veronick. "And it's where we grew up, and you know, we're just going to miss it."

Veronick grew up in the house and watched the demolition with her neighbors.

"It's hard to come by and see it standing, but come by and seeing an empty lot is also going to be very hard."

The cause of the fire was electrical, and everyone escaped but Rosalie McGough. She lived in half of the apartment house for about 50 years with her husband.

"I am heartbroken. It's the end of a wonderful 50 years' era," said Irene Perugino.

"It's just a morning I'll never forget," said Jeff McLaughlin. "I heard the fire engine pull up and I opened up my window in the bedroom and the house was already completely in flames."

Folks who live on Yates Street say they're sad to see the house go, but they'll always remember their friend Rosalie.

"She was a fixture on this Yates Street," said Perugino. "She really was a fixture and she'll be missed by all. Every dog walker, every runner, everybody knew her from sitting on the front porch during the summer."

McGough was in her seventies when she died.

"She was such a wonderful person and such a beautiful person inside and out. She was great," Veronick added.

"You hope that a new house will go up and that another family and new memories will come," said McLaughlin.

Video below submitted through the WNEP app by Paula Perugino

 

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