The Luzerne County coroner's office has released the identity of the elderly man who tragically lost his life in a fast-moving house fire on Wednesday afternoon. Authorities confirmed that 85-year-old Thomas Chernowsky died at the scene of the blaze, which destroyed a home located along Cooper Hill Road in West Wyoming.
Emergency crews rushed to the residence shortly after 4:00 p.m. following reports of a heavily burning structure with a resident trapped inside. As first responders arrived on the scene, an explosion rocked the home, creating additional hazards for the battling fire crews. A joint investigation into the origin and cause of the deadly fire is currently underway by state police fire marshals and the Wyoming Area Regional Police.
