Fire in mobile home kills woman in Lawrence County

The identity of the victim was not being released.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal’s office is investigating a fatal mobile home fire that occurred Saturday morning at 430 Rapson Ave. in Union Township, Lawrence County.

The blaze erupted at 7:25 a.m., and the cause of the victim’s death and source of the fire are still under investigation, state police said.

The name of the victim was being withheld pending family notification.

However, Jack Stoner, assistant township fire chief, said the victim was a woman in her early 60s who rented the mobile home and was believed to have lived alone.

Nobody else was in the trailer when the blaze broke out, and there were no other injuries.

No damage estimate was available, said Stoner, who added that the blaze apparently started in the back of the home. “The heat was terrific in there,” he said.

Linda Cook, owner of the burned mobile home and a resident of the mobile home park, told firefighters the victim moved into the trailer in March.

The park consists of 10 to 12 trailers, Stoner said.

The fire was reported by multiple 911 calls, including one from a passing truck driver on U.S. Route 422 and one from a neighbor awakened by the barking of his dog.

Union Township firefighters were assisted by Mahoning Township firefighters who trucked water to the scene, where there were no fire hydrants. South New Castle firefighters stood by in the Union Township fire station.