4-year-old and 79-year-old fire victims from West Manheim Twp. blaze identified

April 2024 · 2 minute read

UPDATE | The York County Coroner has now identified the two people who were killed in a West Manheim Twp. house fire on Monday.

The two individuals who passed away are confirmed as 79-year-old Ronald Richard of West Manheim Twp. and 4-year-old Chase Bucher of Spring Grove.

The coroner states Richard lived in the home at the time of the fire.

Bucher's cause of death was determined to be from smoke inhalation and thermal burns and is ruled as accidental.

The coroner says Richard's cause and manner of death are still being determined.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Officials with the Pleasant Hill Fire Company said two people have died in a Monday morning house fire in West Manheim Township, including a four-year-old boy.

Crews responded to the fire around 10:40 a.m.

Assistant Chief Ted Clousher said it started in the garage. The York County Coroner's Office said a 79-year-old man with an oxygen tank was smoking a cigarette.

“That apparently was where he smoked all the time– in the garage. We found the oxygen cylinders, they exploded. That’s probably what the neighbors heard. The neighbors heard an explosion, looked out, saw the fire,” said Clousher.

Clousher said the four-year-old was rescued from a bedroom window but passed away at the hospital.

Clousher said there were five people in the home at the time of the fire.

He said the owner of the home was taken to the hospital with burns, their current condition hasn't been released. Two other people refused medical treatment, according to officials.

The coroner's office said the names are expected to be released tomorrow.

ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7y6iamqRfmLyzu82eqWaekamurbXTsmShp6Wosm6yyKucZquVmLyvsIyao5qqnWLEpr%2FTZqSappiatq5506iup6uYnr1uxc6romabn6q7tcWMqZynpqOuubetzaKY