Fire Destroys Home Of Wright Township Firefighter

By ELAINE BERNSTEIN
Correspondent

A long-time Mountain Top volunteer firefighter lost his home to a fire on the morning of Friday, November 27th.

Chris Krout, Lieutenant and Training Officer for the Wright Township Fire Department, was en route with his family to North Carolina, when he received the call that his own home was on fire.

The home at 491 South Main Road was completely destroyed in the blaze, along with several vehicles and a camper. Krout and his family had lived at the home for approximately ten years.

The State Fire Marshall investigated the cause of the fire, but no official report has yet been released.

Krout has been a member of the Wright Township Fire Department since 2001, according to Randy Case, a volunteer firefighter with the Department who also serves as its President.

A Mountain Top resident who recently experienced a house fire had high praise for Krout as a Fire Department leader. “Chris was thorough, professional and reassuring during our house fire,” stated Richard Bernstein, of Aleksander Boulevard, Rice Township, who had a fire in his home due to a lightning strike in July of this year. “It is sad and shocking that this has happened to him.”

The community is coming out to support the Krout family, who lost not only their home, but also all of their possessions, in the fire.

Monetary donations may be made at any Cross Valley FCU branch or mailed to Krout Family Fire Fund, c/o Cross Valley FCU, 113 S. Main Road, Mountain Top, PA 18707.

Donations of furniture or clothing can be dropped off at the Wright Township Fire Station at 477 South Main Road (868-3765). Please contact Randy Case at 332-6362 for further information, or to arrange for items to be picked up.

“The outpouring of support for Chris and his family from the community – both near and far – has been unbelievable,” said Case, expressing thanks from both the Department and the Krout family.

This is part of the December 2, 2009 online edition of The Mountaintop Eagle.

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