A Westmoreland County man lost his home in a fire in Cook Township on Sunday afternoon.

The pops of ammunition exploding could be heard going off as the fire burned for hours along Hoods Mill Road. Firefighters appeared to work defensively, keeping it from spreading into the forest.

"It's weird to see it's still burning, but I guess that's all they can really do right now with the way it came in on itself," said John Lohr, the son of the man who lived in the home, Larry Lohr. He also built the home; John grew up in it.

As he raced to the scene, he wasn't sure if his father was okay.

"It was tough. That was definitely tough. I was just hoping for the best. I said a few prayers, and I was glad to see he's okay when I got here," Lohr said.

With no hydrants nearby, crews pulled water from

See Full Page