Interchange named in honor of Youngwood firefighter killed during search

YOUNGWOOD, Pa. — A volunteer firefighter killed in the line of duty while searching for a missing woman in 2014 was honored Wednesday in Westmoreland County.

Edwin “Lance” Wentzel, 57, died when he was struck by a train during search efforts in North Versailles. He served in Youngwood as a firefighter for 35 years.

On Wednesday, the interchange at Route 119 and Interstate 70 was named in honor of Wentzel, whose fellow firefighters and the fire chief said will never be forgotten.

Pennsylvania Sen. Kim Ward spearheaded the effort to rename the interchange, hoping to bring some comfort to Wentzel’s family.

“This is so no one ever forgets exactly what he did for us -- for people to come by and, even if they didn’t know him, they will know he did something very important,” Ward said.

A memorial to Wentzel’s sacrifice already stands outside the fire station in Youngwood, and his name has also been added to the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

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