Two people found dead inside home after 2-alarm fire in Butler County
AS MEMORIAL DAY IS OBSERVED ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, WE'RE HEARING ONE VETERAN'S STORY THAT WE GUARANTEE YOU WILL NOT HEAR FROM ANY OTHER VETERAN. HE IS A NAVAL VETERAN WHO IS LIVING HISTORY AT 106 YEARS OLD. HE IS THE OLDEST LIVING SURVIVOR. FROM A DAY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR OUR COUNTRY. DANNY NEW HAS HIS STORY. THE JAPANESE LAUNCHED A SURPRISE ATTACK THIS MEMORIAL DAY, WE ARE HEARING FROM A NAVAL VETERAN WHO SERVED DURING ONE OF OUR COUNTRY'S DARKEST MOMENTS 50 YEARS AGO. NOBODY PAID ANY ATTENTION. IT WAS A PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR, A BIG DEAL. WELL, AT 106 YEARS OLD, FREEMAN JOHNSON IS NOW THE OLDEST LIVING SURVIVOR FROM THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR, WHICH REACHES ITS 85TH ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. NOW, THERE ARE LESS THAN A DOZEN LEFT TO SHARE THEIR STORY. HERE'S JOHNSON. ON THAT DAY IN 1941, WHEN THE BOMBS STARTED GOING OFF, THIS MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENT WAS DEEP INSIDE THE BOWELS OF A LIGHT CRUISER CALLED THE USS SAINT LOUIS. I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. NOTHING. I WAS INSIDE OF BOILER A STEAM DRUM, WHICH IS ABOUT THIS BIG. THANKFULLY, THE SAINT LOUIS WAS ABLE TO EVADE ATTACKS FROM SMALL SUBMARINES. IN FACT, HERE IS A MESSAGE CONFIRMING THE SHIP HAD PASSED THROUGH THE CHANNEL, MAKING IT THE FIRST U.S. SHIP TO MAKE IT OUT OF PEARL HARBOR DURING THE ATTACK. WE'VE BEEN TO A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS, AND THE KIDS ASK, WERE YOU SCARED? YOU'RE TOO BUSY. MEANWHILE, AMERICANS HAVE BEEN BUSY OVER THE PAST WEEK PREPARING TO HONOR AND REMEMBER MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS THIS MEMORIAL DAY. THE OLD GUARD ONCE AGAIN PLACED U.S. FLAGS AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY, ALSO, TWO CENTENARIANS WHO SERVED IN WORLD WAR TWO TOGETHER ARE PREPARING TO REUNITE FOR THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE IN D.C. RETIRED MARINES DON GRAVES AND WILLIAM BYRD HAVE BEEN FRIENDS SINCE 1945 AND STILL REGULARLY CALL EACH OTHER. I'M GLAD TO SEE HIM. I THINK HE'LL PROBABLY BE GLAD TO SEE ME, TOO. BY THE WAY, YOU KNOW THE ICONIC PICTURE OF THE SOLDIERS RAISING THE FLAG ON IWO JIMA? WELL, BOTH DON GRAVES AND WILLIAM BYRD WERE PRESENT THAT DAY IN IWO JIMA WHEN THAT PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN NEW YORK. ABC NEWS, I'M DANIEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE FOR PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT 5:00. DON'T GO ANYWHERE. THE NEWS AT SIX STARTS RIGHT NOW. NOW ON PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR. MEMORIAL DAY IS ALWAYS A SPECIAL OCCASION HERE IN LOWER BOROUGH. BUT ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, IT WAS ABOUT BRINGING THE FAMILY BACK OF A NATIVE SON WHO WENT MISSING IN ACTION DURING THE KOREAN WAR. WE TELL HIS STORY TONIGHT HERE AT SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MEMORIAL DAY. A UNIQUE STORY ABOUT A UNIQUE FLAG FROM THE CIVIL WAR. IT'S A TRADITION HERE IN HOOKSTOWN THAT HAS SPANNED DECADES. IT'S THE HOOKSTOWN PARKER'S, AND IT FOLLOWS THEIR ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY PARADE. WILL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT STRAIGHT AHEAD. PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR AT SIX STARTS NOW. UP FIRST HERE AT 6:00 TONIGHT, WE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW BREAKING NEWS AND THE CONFRONTATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT INSIDE A LOCAL RESTAURANT. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I'M KELLY SASSO AND I'M MIKE CLARK, PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER FELICITY TAYLOR JOINS US LIVE IN ROBINSON TOWNSHIP WITH OUR STORY. AFTER HEARING FROM WITNESSES AND THE MANAGER, FELICITY. YEAH. MIKE KELLY, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMING BY HERE ALL DAY HOPING TO GET SOMETHING TO EAT, BUT THEY'RE RUNNING INTO THIS SIGN. THE OWNER TELLS US HE DECIDED TO CLOSE DOWN FOR THE DAY AFTER THIS INCIDENT THAT HE SAID HAPPENED AT AROUND 945 THIS MORNING. THIS VIDEO SHOWS LAW ENFORCEMENT THE MANAGER ON THE FLOOR OF THE RESTAURANT BEFORE LETTING HIM GO. THE OWNER OF THE RESTAURANT WAS NOT THERE AT THE TIME, HE TELLS US JUST IN THE LAST HOUR THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS CHASING SOMEONE, AND THE CHASE ENDED IN THE DINER PARKING LOT. HE SAYS MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WERE HERE, AND THEY SAY AFTER FEDERAL AGENTS SEARCHED THE RESTAURANT, THE OWNER TELLS US THEY BRIEFLY DETAINED THE MANAGER, BELIEVING THAT HE DID SOMETHING TO DISRUPT THEIR WORK. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE IN THE VIDEO. THE RESTAURANT WAS PRETTY BUSY AT THE TIME, AND WE SPOKE TO THE WITNESS WHO TOOK THIS VIDEO. YOU JUST NEVER REALLY THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT. AND THEN WHENEVER YOU SEE IT, YOU'RE JUST LIKE, WOW, THIS IS KIND OF SHOCKING. AND JUST LIKE THE SCARINESS OF IT ALL AND BEING ABLE TO JUST KIND OF UNFORTUNATELY JUST STAY OUT OF THE WAY. THE DINER WILL REOPEN AT NORMAL HOURS TOMORROW. WE ARE STILL WORKING TO GET MORE DETAILS AND INFORMATION FOR THIS, AND AS SOON AS WE HAVE THAT, WE'LL BE SURE TO PASS IT ALONG. COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY AND ROBINSON TOWNSHIP, I'M FELICITY TAYLOR, PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR. THANK YOU. ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY, WE PAUSE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR NATION'S FALLEN HEROES. FLAGS AND PARADES AND SOLEMN CEREMONIES SALUTING SO MANY VETERANS FROM DECADES GONE BY. IT'S A TRADITION THAT'S PART OF OUR FABRIC HERE IN WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. WE'LL HAVE MUCH MORE ON TODAY'S CEREMONIES IN JUST A MOMENT. BUT FIRST, LET'S CHECK IN NOW WITH PITTSBURGH'S ACTION WEATHER. LOTS OF BOATS OUT THERE ON OUR RIVERS THIS AFTERNOON. FINALLY, WE'RE SEEING SOME SUNSHINE. THE RAIN HAS MOVED OUT FOR AT LEAST THE SECOND HALF OF OUR HOLIDAY TODAY. METEOROLOGIST RYAN JUNIOR WITH WARMER TEMPS. EVEN A BIT HUMID OUT THERE TODAY. YEAH, WE'RE REALLY TURNING INTO A NICE DAY AFTER THIS MORNING, WHICH WE YOU KNOW, WE SAID THE RAIN WOULD CLEAR IN THE MORNING AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. AND REALLY A BEAUTIFUL KIND OF END TO OUR HOLIDAY WEEKEND. TOMORROW, THOUGH, WILL BE THE WARMEST DAY OF THE REST OF THE MONTH. SO WE'RE JUST MISSING THE WARMEST DAY BY A DAY BEING PART OF OUR WEEKEND. IT'S NOT FULLY DRY THOUGH. WE'LL BE WATCHING FOR A SHOWER CHANCE TOMORROW, MAINLY SOUTH OF PITTSBURGH. WEDNESDAY, THE BEST CHANCE FOR RAIN IS GOING TO BE IN THE MORNING. ALSO MAINLY SOUTH OF PITTSBURGH. THERE'S A QUESTION MARK ON HOW FAR NORTH THOSE RAIN SHOWERS MAKE IT, BUT RAIN WILL BE AROUND FOR THE MORNING COMMUTE BECAUSE OF THAT. WEDNESDAY IS AN IMPACT DAY. THOSE SHOWERS WILL THEN TAPER OFF AND EXIT AS WE HEAD INTO THE AFTERNOON, WITH SUNSHINE RETURNING AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE BACK PART OF WEDNESDAY. AND SUNSHINE STAYS WITH US FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK AS WE STAY SEASONAL TO CLOSE OUT. MAY TEMPERATURES MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S FOR US ACROSS THE BOARD. A VERY NICE AFTERNOON FOR US AND A NICE EVENING IN STORE AS WELL. IF YOU DO HAVE OUTDOOR PLANS. 82 FOR US TOMORROW WITH THAT SHOWER CHANCE. I'LL TIME THAT OUT FOR YOU. FUTURECAST. THAT'S IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. ALL RIGHT BRIAN, THANK YOU. SPECIAL HONORS ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY FOR A SOLDIER FROM THE KISKI VALLEY ARMY. PFC ROLAND BOWSER WENT MISSING IN ACTION DURING THE KOREAN WAR. HIS REMAINS WERE FINALLY IDENTIFIED AND RETURNED HOME. AND TODAY, HIS HOMETOWN GAVE ONE FINAL SALUTE. COVERING WESTMORELAND COUNTY REPORTER EDDIE RIO IS IN LOWER BURRELL TONIGHT. THE AMERICAN LEGION HERE IN LOWER BURRELL IS WHERE THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE ENDS EVERY YEAR. IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY. BUT ON THIS SPECIFIC DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, IT WAS SPECIAL TO INCLUDE A NATIVE SON COMING BACK AFTER BEING MISSING FOR 75 YEARS. MEMORIAL DAY MEANS SOMETHING. TO EVERYBODY IN LOWER BURRELL. IT'S ONE DAY A YEAR THAT WE ACTUALLY GET TO SIT DOWN AND REMEMBER THE FALLEN. OVER 75 YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A MISSING PIECE OF MEMORY FOR THE FAMILY OF PRIVATE FIRST CLASS ROLAND BOWSER. FOUR OF MY FIVE BROTHERS SERVED IN THE MILITARY. ROLAND IS THE ONLY ONE THAT DIDN'T COME HOME. BOWSER LEFT NEW KENSINGTON IN 1949 TO SERVE IN THE ARMY DURING THE KOREAN WAR. HE WAS DEEMED MISSING IN ACTION IN 1951. AFTER THAT, WE HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM. LAST YEAR WE GOT THE CALL. SHE'D WAITED 75 YEARS TO RECEIVE YOUR BROTHER'S REMAINS HAVE BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED, AND MY HANDS WERE SHAKING. IT WAS PRETTY AWESOME. THROUGH DNA TESTING, POSITIVE REMAINS WERE ID'D AND HE WAS BROUGHT BACK TO THE STATES. HE WAS LAID TO REST AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. HOWEVER, HIS BELONGINGS WERE BROUGHT BACK TO THE COUNTY THAT RAISED HIM ON MONDAY. THIS IS WHERE WAR ROLAND NEEDS TO BE HONORED BECAUSE THIS IS OUR HOMETOWN. WE GREW UP HERE. THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO HIS FAMILY AND US TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO OUR AREA AND WORDS CAN'T DESCRIBE WHAT THAT FEELING IS. MARGIE WROTE A LETTER TO HER BROTHER YEARS AGO. SHE SAID ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY, IT WAS HER FAVORITE TIME READING IT. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, DEAR BROTHER. I REMAIN FOREVER GRATEFUL AND PROUD. BABY SISTER MARGIE, COVERING WESTMORELAND COUNTY IN LOWER BURRELL AT DIORIO. PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR. AND THIS IS A MEMORIAL DAY TRADITION THAT WOUND THROUGH THE STREETS OF LAWRENCEVILLE THIS MORNING. PITTSBURGH'S PARADE HAS BEEN PART OF THIS COMMUNITY FOR 116 YEARS. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LINED BUTLER STREET IN A PATRIOTIC SALUTE. JIM MCGINLEY RUNS THE PARADE, AND AFTER SERVING IN IRAQ, HE SAYS HE MADE A COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE CITY. I'VE BEEN RUNNING THE LAWRENCEVILLE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS. I PUT MY HEART AND SOUL TO IT. SO EVERY YEAR WE START IN JANUARY. NOT ONLY ME, BUT A COMMITTEE THAT PULLS THIS OFF. AND EVERY YEAR IT'S THE SAME. IT'S EXCITING. IT'S CHAOTIC. MCGINLEY SAID HE FEELS IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THIS TRADITION GOING, ESPECIALLY SO THE YOUNGER GENERATIONS CAN UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICES MADE BY VETERANS AND OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS. TODAY'S PARADE ENDED WITH A SERVICE AT ALLEGHENY CEMETERY IN LAWRENCEVILLE. A SEA OF RED, WHITE AND BLUE ADORNS THE SOLDIER'S LOT AT THE CEMETERY. 303 SERVICE MEMBERS ARE BURIED HERE. MOST SERVED AND SACRIFICED DURING THE CIVIL WAR. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE, BUT IT IS PURCHASED. WELL, THEY PURCHASED IT. GOTTA GIVE EM HOMAGE. PAY RESPECT WHEN RESPECT IS DUE. THE ALLEGHENY CEMETERY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST IN THE COUNTRY. IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1844 AND SITS ON 300 ACRES OF LAND. ALLEGHENY COUNTY HAS THE HIGHEST VETERAN POPULATION OF ANY COUNTY IN PENNSYLVANIA, AND THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MEMORIAL HALL MUSEUM SHOWCASES THE HERE YOU CAN FIND ALL KINDS OF WAR HISTORY THERE, BUT ONE FLAG IN PARTICULAR CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION TODAY. PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR REPORTER SHELDON INGRAM EXPLAINS WHY. ADMINISTRATORS HERE AS SOLDIERS AND SAILORS SAY, THERE ARE SO MANY FASCINATING STORIES HERE, AND ONE OF THEM IS FOUND IN THIS ROOM HERE DEDICATED TO THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG. AND THE STORY IS FOUND OVER THERE. THIS IS A HAND-SEWN CIVIL WAR FLAG. IT WAS CREATED IN THREE DAYS BY GIRLS FROM A SCHOOL IN KITTANNING, ARMSTRONG COUNTY. THEY PRESENTED THE FLAG TO MEMBERS OF THE NEWLY FORMED 103RD PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. IN 1861, BEFORE THEY HEADED SOUTH FOR BATTLE. THEY WERE CAPTURED IN MASS. THEY WERE SURROUNDED AND CAPTURED. HOWEVER, THE FLAG WAS SAVED BY THIS MAN. PRIVATE PASSENGER. BUT HOW HE SAVED THE FLAG IS WHERE THE STORY BECOMES COMPELLING. THE COLOR BEARER WHO WAS CARRYING THE FLAG, DID NOT WANT THE FLAG TO BE TAKEN BY THE ENEMY, SO HE TORE IT OFF THE STAFF AND WRAPPED IT AROUND HIS BODY, UNDER HIS UNIFORM, OUT OF SIGHT OF THE ENEMY. MICHAEL KRAUS SAYS PASSENGER KEPT THE FLAG HIDDEN AS A PRISONER OF WAR UNTIL HE RETURNED TO ARMSTRONG COUNTY. HIS FAMILY DONATED THE FLAG TO SOLDIERS AND SAILORS AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1910. AND THEN THERE'S THE STORY OF THIS MAN. HE IS MERCHANT MARINE VETERAN HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR IN 2022. PFEFFER STORMED THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY DURING WORLD WAR TWO. HE IS 102 YEARS OLD AND STILL REMEMBERS THAT DAY. I WAS AT A COUPLE OF THE INVASIONS WHERE WE LITERALLY TOOK A NUMBER OF SHIPS AND RAMMED THE BEACH, YOU KNOW? AND SO YOU WOULD SEE IT IN THAT CASE. AND THERE WERE SOME PRETTY NASTY THINGS I HAVE TO SAY. PORTLAND VETERANS REMEMBERED ON MEMORIAL DAY IN OAKLAND SHELDON INGRAM PITTSBURGH'S ACTION NEWS FOUR AND A TIME HONORED TRADITION TODAY AT ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY. PRESIDENT TRUMP AND MEMBERS OF THE CABINET GATHERED FOR THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY. PRESIDENT PLACED A WREATH AT THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER IN HONOR OF ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE DIED, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN DAN CAIN SALUTED THE COMMITMENT OF THOSE WHO SERVE AND SACRIFICE ACROSS THE CENTURIES. THE CHARACTER, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT OF THE AMERICAN WARFIGHTER HAS NEVER WAVERED, AND IT NEVER WILL. IT'S THAT SAME WAR FIGHTING SPIRIT WE RECENTLY SAW IN OPERATION EPIC FURY, AND WE REMEMBER AND HONOR THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, ADDING THEIR NAMES TO THE STORY OF AMERICAN HEROISM, THE TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER IN ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERIES MOST ICONIC MEMORIAL. SOLDIERS GUARD THE TOMB 24 OVER SEVEN THREE, 65 AND UNDERGO INTENSE TRAINING FOR THAT JOB. MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ARE CAPPING OFF THEIR MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY WITH A TRIP TO THE AIRPORT. TRIPLE A SAYS 45 MILLION AMERICANS TRAVELED AT LEAST 50 MILES FROM HOME OVER THE LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND. WE STOPPED BY PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THIS MORNING AND FOUND SOME LINES, BUT MORE CROWDS WERE EXPECTED LATER IN THE DAY, AND HEAVIEST TRAFFIC TODAY WAS BETWEEN NOON AND 5:00. PITTSBURGH'S AIRPORT IS BUSY THIS AFTERNOON FOR ANOTHER REASON. THE FIRST DIRECT FLIGHT FROM IRELAND IS SET TO ARRIVE. AIR LINGUS LAUNCHED ITS INAUGURAL FLIGHT BETWEEN HERE AND DUBLIN, THE FIRST FLIGHT FROM IRELAND IS SET TO LAND THIS EVENING. SERVICE WILL RUN FOUR TIMES A WEEK ON MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, FRIDAYS AND SUNDAYS. THE NEW FLIGHT BUILDS ON IRELAND'S PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STEELERS AND OPENS THE DOORS FOR BUSINESS TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES. A DELEGATION FROM HERE WILL BE BOARDING THE RETURN FLIGHT AND HEADING TO DUBLIN LATER TONIGHT. IT'S A FULL FLIGHT GOING OUT. THERE'S A TRADE MISSION THAT'S GOING AS WELL AS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE ENGAGED IN TOURS, GOING OUT INBOUND. IT'S A FULL FLIGHT, COMING IN WITH PEOPLE THAT WANT TO SEE PITTSBURGH AND WANT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT THE CITY'S LIKE. WE WILL BE THERE WHEN TONIGHT’
Two people found dead inside home after 2-alarm fire in Butler County
Updated: 10:32 PM EDT May 25, 2026
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Two people were found dead inside a home in Butler County following a 2-alarm fire Monday evening. VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Butler County dispatchers told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that officials were called to a home along Old Route 68 around 5:30 p.m. following reports of a house fire. In a release later sent by Pennsylvania State Police, officials said two people were found dead inside the home. Their identities have not been released. Pennsylvania State Police said an investigation is now underway. This is a developing story. Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
Two people were found dead inside a home in Butler County following a 2-alarm fire Monday evening.
VIDEO: Top stories on Pittsburgh’s Action News 4
Butler County dispatchers told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that officials were called to a home along Old Route 68 around 5:30 p.m. following reports of a house fire.
In a release later sent by Pennsylvania State Police, officials said two people were found dead inside the home. Their identities have not been released.
Pennsylvania State Police said an investigation is now underway.
This is a developing story.
Download the WTAE app to stay connected with breaking news. Sign up for our email newsletters to get breaking news in your inbox.
