Darrick Gerano rushed into a burning Washington Township home Thursday to rescue a man still inside.
He and Washington Township police officer Ken Hollis got James Indovina out, but were unable to save him.
He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said Gerano, administrative director at Murrysville Medic One. “You put all that effort into it. You put yourself into it. You do CPR. It’s difficult.
“But you still got to try.”
Emergency responders were called about 9 a.m. Thursday to the fire at 251 Mamont Drive. Gerano said he and Hollis got to the scene before firefighters.
Initial reports indicated someone was possibly still inside. Gerano said he and Hollis looked to see where the fire was and went to a door on the other side of the house.
They kicked the door in and yelled inside to see if anyone would respond. No one did.
Hollis stayed at the door while Gerano went in. Gerano found Indovina lying on the floor.
The two men took Indovina out to the yard, and Gerano gave him CPR.
“I think, like any first responder, we just kind of do what needs to be done,” Gerano said. “It’s no different than anybody else that’s a first responder. (They) would have done the same thing.”
Hollis declined to comment.
Washington Township Volunteer Fire Company Lt. Sean Roden said Indovina already had been pulled from the house by the time firefighters arrived.
Indovina was 74, according to the coroner’s office. Roden said he was home alone at the time of the fire.
The house is a total loss. The cause and origin of the fire are under investigation by the state police fire marshal in Greensburg, Roden said.
“All we know is, when we got there, it was pretty much through the roof, and it was working its way well into the house,” he said.
