Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Barclay Friends fire kills 4, injures 27
WEST CHESTER » A fast-moving Nov. 16 blaze at the Barclay Friends Home took the lives of four residents and injured 27.
More than 400 first responders helped to successfully evacuate 133 senior residents during the five-alarm blaze.
Bundled like mummies, residents waited in 40-degree Fahr-
enheit temperatures for a ride in one of about 35 ambulances and several buses at the fire, which took about three hours to bring under control.
Husband and wife Delores Parker, 89, and Thomas Parker, 92, and 93-year-old Mildred Gadde and 85-yearold Theresa Malloy, succumbed in the fire, which chased 133 residents from their homes. More than 60 ATF investigators searched the rubble for clues.
The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced a possible origin for the blaze. The ATF has yet to reveal what sparked the inferno. More than 60 ATF investigators worked through the Thanksgiving holiday.
“It is the collective opinion of the fire scene investigators that the fire did indeed originate on the exterior of the building, in the area of a covered patio at the rear of the south wing of the Woolman Building; however, the exact point of origin, as well as the cause the fire is still under investigation,” Charlene Hennessy, ATF special agent, said in a press release.
Mary Dimaio’s mother, Theresa Malloy was killed in the inferno.
“We want to know what happened,” Dimaio, 55, said last week from the law offices of Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett and Bendesky, on the 52nd floor at One Liberty Place.
“This can’t happen to anybody else,” Martin Malloy, Dimaio’s brother said.
The family’s attorney, Bob Mongeluzzi, said last Wednesday that he inspected the structure, along with two forensic fire safety experts and he has a theory.
The legal team speculated that a lit cigarette, or something else flammable, placed in a trash bin, sparked the blaze, igniting a Tyvek/vinyl/board wall of the home where 133 residents were evacuated.
Mongeluzzi said that part of the fire suppression system, a valve, was turned off when he inspected.
“There’s no evidence that this valve was turned on. If it was off, it would give a complete explanation of why the sprinklers were not working.”
Mongeluzzi said that no wet residents were evacuated from the building and he surmised that the sprinkler system was non-functional.
He noted that a valve was off when he inspected the premises, Wednesday, but didn’t know if it was turned to the off position prior to the inferno.
“We believe the fire started outside in the metal trash receptacle,” Mongeluzzi said. “There is no account from any firefighters, first responders or residents that the fire system activated.
“The sprinkler system should have worked to activate and extinguish the fire.”
The community circled the wagons around the residents and emergency responders.
When the community was asked to donate walkers, wheel chairs, toiletries, clothes and other items needed by displaced residents, the outpouring was overwhelming and the event at the Good Will Fire Company ended early due to a lack of space.
Four hundred firefighters and emergency responders who fought the late night blaze were invited to attend a free showing of “A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play” on Christmas Eve at the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center on High Street.
“After witnessing such a tremendous response to this tragedy from our community here in West Chester, we wanted to show our support,” said Kristin McLaughlin Mitchell, the venue’s Resident Theatre Company’s producing artistic director.
West Chester University students and the Brandywine Valley SPCA teamed for a novel fundraiser.
Winter Puppyland Playland took place at Sykes Student Union.
For $3, students and the public could cuddle and play with some of 25 puppies. Proceeds benefited Barclay residents who lost hearing aids, dentures and glasses. The event raised more than $2,500.
A local eyeglass shop, Bainbridge Eye Care Associates, offered Barclay residents free eye exams and a pair of prescription glasses. The lenses and frames were donated by Walman Optical Lab.