Guise was caught in a porch roof collapse
FirefighterNation Staff
CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pennsylvania — The Cumberland County coroner has released the cause of death of a firefighter and occupant killed in a March 9, 2020 house fire.
PennLive and WGAL report that Cumberland County Coroner Charley Hall said that an autopsy of the occupant, Jessica Diehl, shows that she died from smoke inhalation and thermal burns.
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Firefighter Jerome Guise died from smoke inhalation, asphyxiation, and thermal burns.
In a press conference Hall and Mount Holly Fire Chief Tim Yingst talked about the causes of death and the roof collapse that killed Firefighter Guise.
Chief Yingst said that he saw Guise prior to the collapse of the porch roof. There was no interior attack being done and all operations were defensive due to the amount of fire.
When the roof collapsed it took firefighters approximately 10 minutes to get Guise out.
He was treated by EMS on the scene and later pronounced dead.
Yingst said it was not typical for a porch roof to collapse as quick as it did.
Diehl was later found on the second floor near the top of the stairs. Officials believe she was trying to escape.
Diehl’s husband said she woke him up to tell him something was burning. He tried to find the source, but the fire was moving rapidly. He is being treated for burns at Lehigh Valley Burn Center.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The fire department has planned a meeting for Wednesday and will bring in counselors.
