Woman injured in fire

December 03, 2004

SCOTLAND, PA. - A Greene Township woman was flown to Baltimore Regional Burn Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center after she was injured in a fire Monday morning at a Scot-Greene Estates duplex.

Dorothy Apple, 79, of 3467 Troon Drive was in critical condition Thursday afternoon, according to a hospital spokeswoman. Apple was found inside the front door of her home by firefighters whose responded to the 12:05 a.m. fire, according to Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Mike Rugh.

The fire appeared to have originated in the adjoining home of Jake Kaufman of 3469 Troon Drive, Rugh said.

According to Rugh, the fire originated in the back wall of Kaufman's home and might have been caused by an electrical wiring problem in the wall.

Kaufman, who escaped without injury, awoke to discover fire in that area of his home, Rugh said. By that time, Rugh said, the fire could have spread into the ceiling and across to Apple's half of the duplex.

"There is no indication that it was anything but an accident," Rugh said.

"We really don't have a lot of details yet," said James Fahnestock, Apple's brother-in-law. "She had just moved in to the house a week or two weeks ago," he said.

The fire destroyed both sides of the duplex, according to Rugh. Apple purchased her half of the building for $139,000, he said.

Rugh said he did not have a total for the loss, which included contents of both duplexes. There also were damaged vehicles in each of the duplex's one-car garages.

Firefighters were on the scene for more than three hours, according to the Franklin Volunteer Fire Co. report. Firefighters from the Fayetteville, West End, Pleasant Hall, Vigilant and Cumberland Valley Hose companies, along with Chambersburg and Letterkenny Army Depot fire departments, assisted.

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