Motorcycle Work May Have Led to Fatal Pennsylvania Fire

December 19, 2008

A man may have been repairing a motorcycle in his basement before he became trapped and died in a fatal western Pennsylvania house fire.

Authorities are still investigating the fire and the death of 21-year-old Thomas Nass, of Arnold, about 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Neighbor Debbie Kemp says she heard a boom before she noticed the fire about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. Neighbors tried to douse the fire with buckets of water but they couldn’t do that or get to Nass.

The Westmoreland County Coroner plans an autopsy on Thursday. Authorities have yet to confirm the cause of the fire.