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College students lose everything in Indiana house fire

INDIANA, Pa. — Firefighters rushed to the scene of a massive house fire Friday morning in Indiana County.

The blaze was first reported at a home on Locust Street just before 5 a.m.

There were no reported injuries, but crews on the scene said the house was destroyed.

A group of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) students lived at the house and lost everything.

“I actually woke up at a friend’s house and thought someone was playing a joke on me when someone said my house was on fire this morning,” said Shawn Haines, a senior at IUP.

Haines said none of his roommates were home at the time of the fire, which engulfed the entire house.

“The most burns were in the kitchen that you can clearly see and spread up to my room upstairs, which is gone,” said Haines.

The fire chief said the house is a total loss, and it is believed that the fire began on the back porch, which was converted into a kitchen.

Haines said he feels fortunate to be alive, but still hurts because he now has nothing as a senior preparing to graduate.

"I lost everything. My dead grandmother's guitar, my guitar, my amp, all my clothes, my bed; everything I have is gone," said Haines.