Fire kills 1 at Elwyn Institute facility

Fire swept through a building on the campus of an assisted living facility for the disabled in Delaware County last night, killing a 63-year-old man, injuring two others, and forcing the evacuation of 38 people, according to local officials and Pennsylvania State Police.

Emergency personnel were called to the scene of Elwyn's Media campus in Middletown Township on the 100 block of Elwyn Road about 9:33 p.m., said Trooper John Stewart, who is assigned to the Fire Marshal's unit.

The fire began in a room at Smith Hall, a section of the Elwyn Institute's housing for people with various disabilities. Firefighters from the Middletown Fire Co. and other emergency personnel were called to the scene and told people were trapped in the sprawling one-story structure.

The name of the victim was not immediately released. Stewart said the man's identity was being withheld from the public until relatives could be notified.  He said the victim was white, 63, and required total care at the facility. An autopsy is expected to be performed today.

Two staff members were also treated for smoke inhalation, Stewart said.  An investigation into the cause is ongoing.

"It's a tragic loss," said Dan Reardon, Chief Operating Officer at Elwyn. "The residents of the building have been safely relocated."

The sprawling 300-acre campus has 12 residential buildings that house from four to 40 people. In all, there are 225 overnight residents at Elwyn. Each house is staffed overnight and contains community and dining areas.

The Smith building, with 40 beds, was one of the largest, Reardon said. The one-story, brick building has four wings. The fire was contained to one wing, the other three had smoke damage, Reardon said.

"The response of our staff and the local fire companies was superior," said Reardon.

The Smith building is about 35 years old, he said.

The widely known Elwyn Institute began in 1852 as one of the country's first schools for children with intellectual disabilities, according to its website.  It provides services for people with disabilities.

Check back for details as they develop.