PA Department Raising Funds for Seriously Injured Firefighter
By Jenna Wise
Source pennlive.com (TNS)
The Middletown community is coming together to help the family of Shawn Menear, a volunteer firefighter who was seriously injured while trying to save a 67-year-old man who ultimately died in a Sunday night house fire.
Shawn Menear had to be airlifted to a Philadelphia hospital for treatment of undisclosed injuries, the Middletown Volunteer Fire Department said in a Monday news release.
The fire department launched a GoFundMe Monday night with a $50,000 goal to help Menear and his family.
Volunteer Middletown firefighters around 9:15 p.m. rushed to the 500 block of Water Street in Royalton for a house fire with entrapment. The home’s resident, 67-year-old William Hardy, was later pronounced dead at the scene from thermal burns.
Menear and three other firefighters became trapped inside the burning home when the second floor collapsed, prompting a mayday signal and county-wide emergency rescue response. Middletown fire officials said Menear was trapped for about 40 minutes while firefighters used saws to cut through debris and free him.
The three other firefighters were from Swatara Fire-Rescue and escaped unharmed, with the help of others from their department. About 90 firefighters from four counties responded to the scene, according to Middletown officials.
Middletown officials said Menear was originally taken to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, then airlifted to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia because of the severity of his injuries.
“The officers and members of the Middletown Volunteer Fire Department have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support over the last 24 hours,” Middletown officials said in the Monday news release. “We ask that you please be patient as we navigate through this difficult time.”
©2022 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
