Woman killed in Cecil Township house fire
CECIL TOWNSHIP, Pa. (KDKA) -- A woman is dead after an early morning house fire in Washington County.
Two homes went up in flames along Swihart Road in Cecil Township just after 5:30 a.m., killing 81-year-old Rose Churray.
"We loved her so much. Every time we said goodbye, we would say, 'I love you,'" said Churray's neighbor Caroline Graettinger.
Caroline and Tim Graettinger said they saw their neighbor just two days ago, not knowing it would be the last time.
"It's awful," said Caroline. "I've never experienced anything [like] this kind of loss. I hope and pray that she was asleep and didn't know."
Cecil Township Fire Chief Cory Wonderly said about 30 firefighters responded to put out the blaze, but it was too late. Wonderly said the fire even spread to another house in front of it. He said no one was inside, but the house is a total loss.
The Graettingers are shocked by the destruction, but most importantly that they lost a close friend.
"I've never known anyone like her," said Caroline. "She was so giving and so sweet."
"She's been with us probably for every difficult event in our lives over the last 12 years, just always been there — a real rock for us," Tim said. "We just can't even come to grips with what happened."
The Graettingers said now it's their turn to support Churray's loved ones during this difficult time.
Meanwhile, a state fire marshal is investigating to determine where and how the fire started.