State police say the predawn fire is not believed to be suspicious.
CLYMER, Pa. — Firefighters responding to a predawn duplex fire in Indiana County said they arrived to a building already mostly consumed by flames, leaving only a limited area to search before heat and smoke shut down interior access. A father and his two daughters died in the fire.
The deaths of 34-year-old Kirk Lee Fabiszewski and his daughters, ages 7 and 4, have prompted an investigation by state police fire marshals and a wave of grief in the small borough. Officials say no foul play is suspected, but the cause has not been determined. The incident also displaced another household in the duplex and drew a broad mutual-aid response as crews worked for hours in difficult conditions that included downed or arcing power lines and winter cold.
Pennsylvania State Police said the Clymer Volunteer Fire Company and other departments were dispatched at about 4:14 a.m. Feb. 13 to a residential structure fire in the 400 block of Hancock Street. Firefighters found the duplex fully involved on arrival, with both portions occupied at the time of the fire, police said. Several people who were inside were able to flee to safety, but one adult and two children were later found dead in the home, along with two pet dogs, according to state police. “There were several individuals who fled to safety,” state police Trooper Cliff Greenfield said in an interview with a local station. “Unfortunately, we did have three fatalities.”
As crews converged on the duplex, initial reports indicated people might be trapped and that power lines were down on the roadway, according to a statement later shared by the local volunteer fire company. Clymer fire Chief Brett Gromley arrived to find about 80% of the building on fire, according to details released by local officials. At that point, only about 10% to 20% of the rear of the structure was still searchable, officials said. Two adults and a child escaped before crews arrived, according to the account, while firefighters began an urgent balance of tasks: attack the fire, protect nearby residences, and search the remaining spaces where a rescue might still be possible.
Firefighters said they worked to keep the blaze from spreading to nearby apartments while coordinating interior crews and water supply. Officials said crews pushed into the rear of the building to search what remained of livable space and completed a search in part of the home and the basement. Heavy flames later prevented any further interior progress, officials said. After the fire was brought under control, crews continued searching and ultimately located the three victims and the two dogs, officials said. The Indiana County Coroner’s Office identified Fabiszewski as the adult who died.
The operation stretched for about nine hours, officials said, as crews dealt with heavy fire conditions, electrical hazards and cold weather. Long scenes like this can include repeated checks for hotspots, structural stability assessments, and coordination with utilities and investigators before a property can be turned over for fire cause work. State police said members of the Troop A Fire Marshal Unit are investigating to determine the origin and cause. Troop A criminal investigation and patrol units assisted, along with collision analysis specialists and forensic services personnel, police said.
Multiple agencies supported the response, highlighting how quickly a significant fire can exceed the capacity of any one small department. State police listed assisting agencies that included the Indiana County Coroner’s Office, Indiana County Emergency Management and 911, Citizens’ Ambulance Service, and volunteer departments from Clymer, Cherryhill Township, Commodore and Hope. A local statement also thanked Marion Center’s volunteer firefighters for standing by at the Clymer station during the incident and Homer City’s department for providing rehabilitation services so firefighters could warm up and be medically monitored.
While investigators work the technical questions, neighbors have focused on the human loss. Residents described being jolted awake by sirens and seeing the duplex reduced to rubble by daylight. Brenda Helman, who watched from down the block, said the deaths of children made the scene especially painful. “Terrible. Children, a family. Want to make you cry,” Helman said. Another neighbor, Bernadette Polenik, said the tragedy left the area shaken and struggling to comprehend the scale of the loss. “I can’t even imagine how they’ll get through that. It’s very, very sad,” Polenik said.
Officials have not released a detailed timeline of when occupants realized the duplex was on fire or how quickly conditions deteriorated inside. State police also have not said where the fire started or what may have fueled its rapid spread through both sides of the building. Those findings can depend on scene documentation, interviews, electrical and appliance examinations, and lab analysis of debris. Investigators said they do not believe the fire is suspicious, but emphasized the work remains ongoing and that additional details will be released when appropriate.
In a message shared after the response, the local volunteer fire company said the incident carried a significant emotional toll for first responders, especially those who made an interior push under dangerous conditions while trying to search for victims. The department said it would make resources available to members as they work through the aftermath. The statement also recognized another family displaced by the fire who lost a home and belongings.
The next milestone will be the completion of the fire marshal investigation into the origin and cause, which will guide any further public findings from state police and county officials. Until then, authorities say the case remains under investigation and the community is left mourning a father and two young children lost in a single predawn blaze.
Author note: Last updated February 15, 2026.