SALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A Westmoreland County home destroyed by a large fire Friday is the same home where explosives were placed underneath a lawnmower.
PHOTOS: Crews battle large fire in Westmoreland County home
The call for the fire in the 7800 block of Route 22 in Salem Township came in around 12:02 p.m. The fire is now being investigated as a potential arson.
The home, which is now a total loss, is where police say James Sever, 54, put explosives underneath a lawnmower, causing it to explode when a man started it up. According to court documents, the victim, a landlord, told investigators he had recently evicted Sever from a property.
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Nick Nagy, who lived upstairs in the now-destroyed home, was away at work when the fire started. He says he’s now lost his home, and joins police in their suspicions.
“The previous tenant with a giant grudge who was wanted for putting a pipe bomb under the property owner’s tractor would seem likely to me,” Nagy said. “I mean, he’s been wanted, they just haven’t been able to find him ever since that bomb went off. It blew some holes in my side of the garage, too. I’m glad I wasn’t in there because they pulled a heck of a lot of shrapnel out.”
Police say the downstairs floor is where Sever lived before he was evicted, and it is still vacant.
The landlord, who was injured in the explosion, does not live inside the home.
Sever, who is facing several charges, including attempted homicide, has not yet been taken into custody. State police are currently searching the woods in the area for him using a helicopter and drones.
The search for Sever has been ongoing for a month, and police say it’s been difficult.
“So, I think a couple things we’ve been struggling with is, in general, by nature, that particular person is very adapted to living in the woods,” said Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Steve Limani. “The canopy is very thick. This is a very thick wooded area, and it makes it difficult to see and get into the woods when it comes to using cameras and heat sensors and the different things that really help aid you.”
Investigators believe Sever is still in the area, hiding in the woods around the home. Described as a capable outdoorsman, Sever is believed to be getting around on an e-bike.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the scene.
Because of the previous explosion and the search for Sever, fire crews initially fought the flames from a distance.
“Because of the situation that happened here a month ago, they were unsure if the house had anything booby trapped or anything like that,” said Salem Township Volunteer Fire Company Assistant Chief Steve Rosatti.
Retired state trooper Dale Gabriel was the first person to report the fire to 911.
“Yes, we were driving by, heading east on 22 here,” Gabriel recalled. “At that point, my wife just saw some smoke, and she said, ‘I think that house is on fire.’ We call 911. I come down and did a U-turn, went around and got back to the scene as quickly as I could. Two other guys pulled in with me. I knew the situation with the bomb and everything, so I knew it was the house. I was worried. I went up, started yelling if anybody was there, went to the back door, got as close as I could. At that point, the flames are starting to come out and back. Just yelled around. Told the other two gentlemen — one was actually a firefighter one was a military gentleman — we need to get out of there because I really thought there might’ve been a bomb in that house."
Nagy was able to re-enter the remains of his home Friday evening.
“I had some firearms in there. I recovered a couple of those ruined,” he said. “I’m glad nobody got their hands on them, is the main thing.”
Nagy said he’s been wary for the past month.
“Me and him didn’t have a lot of friction,” Nagy said. “Maybe that’s why he waited until I was away to burn the house down, or maybe it was so I didn’t see him.”
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