Derry Borough Man Rescued From Fire Dies At Hospital

A Derry Borough man who may have started a house fire by smoking in bed died Thursday at a hospital after being rescued from the flames.

The Westmoreland County coroner said James Gamble, 60, died at Excela Health Latrobe Hospital Thursday morning.

Gamble and another tenant were rescued from the burning Chestnut Street apartment building after the fire was reported at about 2:30 a.m.

Gamble was being taken to a Pittsburgh burn center when he went into cardiac arrest and was, instead, taken to the Latrobe hospital nearer to his home.

Fire officials said that as Gamble was being taken out of the house, he told them he had been smoking in bed.

The second tenant's identity has not been released. He was not injured after firefighters found him sleeping in another apartment and helped him to safety.

Firefighters said they had difficulty battling the fire because of a large amount of smoke and power lines in the area.

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