Aunt: Girl killed in fire was quiet, loving
Teen enjoyed hunting, played flute in band
Dayanna Joy Shaffer was a loving teenager with a “dry sense of humor.”
Her aunt, Jackie Hutz, said the often quiet 14-year-old girl played flute in the marching band at Deer Lakes Middle School for two years, and the shy teen also enjoyed hunting.
She was an “excellent shot,” and “no small animal was safe when she was around,” Ms. Hutz said through laughter. “Her stepfather, Jason, taught her.”
Dayanna died Thursday in a fire that erupted while she was home alone in the first block of Shepard Road with her 6-monthold dachshund, Nessie, in West
Deer. The puppy, which Dayanna adored, did not survive either, her aunt said.
After realizing the house was on fire, Dayanna called 911 at about 9:15 a.m. Thursday and remained on with a dispatcher until the line went dead, West Deer police Chief Jon Lape said.
“When the first two officers arrived, there was intense fire on front of the porch and on the right side of the house,” Chief Lape said. “We could see heavy dark smoke coming out of the eaves of the roof.”
Within minutes, the entire house was in flames as the blaze grew. The inside was so hot that when firefighters broke a window, the room “flashed over,” and the black smoke turned into flames, according to West Deer No. 3 fire Chief Josh Wiegand.
Firefighters attempted to enter but could not because of the intensity, Chief Lape said. The family lost most of its belongings.
“When we got inside, we located Dayanna in the bathroom on the first floor,” Chief Wiegand said. “She told dispatchers she thought someone was in the house downstairs because she could hear noises. But we feel it was probably the fire making things fall down. She saw the smoke and heard the noises at the same time.
“We did not locate the puppy. We were told to find the dog in a cage, but the dog was not there. It was such a small dog that we just couldn’t locate him.”
Two firefighters were injured. One had first-degree burns on his face and a second-degree burn on his hand, Chief Wiegand said. The other suffered an eye injury. Both were treated at the scene, then sent to a hospital for evaluation.
“We were able to get the girl out
“We were able to get the girl out when the fire was over and everything was deemed safe,” Chief Lape said. “It’s terrible. Anyone’s death is devastating, but when it comes to a young person, especially during these crucial times, it’s just really hard.”
Dayanna was an eighth grader in the Deer Lakes School District. Superintendent Janell LogueBelden said in a statement that the district’s “heart is broken for the young lady, her family and everyone who knew her.”
“She listened more than she spoke, but when she did, it was usually a zinger,” said Ms. Hutz, of Butler County. “She had a dry sense of humor. She was very close with her mom, Cinnamon Gilch, and three sisters. Her grandparents live in Allison Park; her grandmother’s birthday is today, actually. She was very close to her grandparents.”
According to her aunt, Dayanna loved her family and adored her 6-month-old niece, Estella. She enjoyed riding all-terrain vehicles and was fond of riding a neighbor’s snowmobile, too, Ms. Hutz said.
She was the youngest of five siblings: sisters Rachel, Lindsay and Cassidy Shaffer, and brother Andy. A family bank fund will be set up soon and will be accessible from Ms. Hutz’s Facebook page.
Due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, funeral arrangements are on hold.