Chesco DA: 'When We Opened Up That Door... That Was a Doorway to Hell'

Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan announced the arrest of 20-year-old Shakeem Carter, of Norristown, for the Feb. 12 murder of Kevin Allen.

[Editorial note: This story contains graphic descriptions of a murder that may be disturbing to some readers.] Describing the gruesome scene investigators discovered on entering apartment 127 of the Hanover Garden Apartments in North Coventry, Pa. on the evening Feb. 12, Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan said they had opened "a doorway to hell." Twenty-year-old Shakeem Carter, also of Norristown, has been arrested and charged with the grisly murder that authorities say was in connection with a robbery. Carter had allegedly stolen $350 given to Allen by his father to buy clothes. Seventeen-year-old Kevin Allen's body was discovered in the blood-soaked apartment after police responded to a 9-1-1 call from a neighbor who heard a "…

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Arrest Made in Death of Norristown Teen Discovered in North Coventry Fire

Chester County District Attorney Thomas P. Hogan will announce the arrest made in connection with the Feb. 12 death of 17-year-old Kevin Allen.

Chester County District Attorney Thomas P. Hogan is expected to announce that an arrest has been made in connection with the alleged murder of 17-year-old Kevin Allen, of Norristown. Allen's body was discovered at the scene of an apartment fire in North Coventry in Chester County on Feb. 12. The death was ruled a homicide.  Hogan is scheduled to make the announcement Wednesday morning at the Chester County Justice Center in West Chester. He and other law enforcement officers will present evidence in the case including photos and weapons. Patch will update readers on the announcement in real time via our Twitter feed and our Facebook page. --- Related Story Body Found in North Coventry Fire ID'd as Norristown Teen

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Fire Destroys Chain Street Row Home

A fire in the second-floor bedroom of a Chain Street row home sent two people to the hospital and destroyed their home.

Norristown Fire Department responded to a second-story fire at approximately 9:50 p.m. on Sunday night. The crews arrived to find heavy fire visible through the second-story windows and called multiple units for assistance. The fire was put under control in around ten minutes, according to Fire Chief Thomas O'Donnell. Two victims were removed from the two-story row home at 121 Chain Street. According to chief O'Donnell, one was treated locally for minor injuries while a second was transported to Temple Hospital's burn unit. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, according to O'Donnell. It began in the front bedroom of the home, gutting most of the interior and burning through the roof. Traffic was diverted in the vicinity of the …

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Valley Forge Beef & Ale Owner – 'We're Going to Try to Rebuild'

Owner Brian Flaxman told Action News he's not giving up just yet.

Fire Destroys Valley Forge Beef & Ale in Audubon

Six different fire companies responded to the blaze.

A fire destroyed the Valley Forge Beef & Ale restaurant on Trooper Road in Audubon on Saturday afternoon. Trooper Road was closed until about 8 p.m. Saturday, and investigators remained at the fire scene Saturday night. Read the full story at Lower Providence Patch.

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Body Found in North Coventry Fire ID'd as Norristown Teen

Authorities say the body of 17-year-old Kevin Allen, of Norristown, was found at the scene of a Chester County apartment fire last night.

According to Philly.com, the body of a teen discovered at the scene of an apartment in North Coventry in Chester County Tuesday night has been identified as 17-year-old Kevin Allen, of Norristown. Firefighters responded to a report of a fire at Hanover Garden Apartments off E. Schuylkill Road shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday night, according to Pottstown Patch, and discovered the body at the scene. Chester County District Attorney Thomas P. Hogan told Philly.com that the death is being ruled a homicide and arson investigators from the Pennsylvania State Police and Philadelphia and Chester counties are investigating the case. Read more about the incident at Philly.com or on Pottstown Patch.  

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UPDATE: Barbara Drive Fire Victim Identified

Three separate fires in less than a week and within a few miles claimed two lives and injured as many as seven people. None are suspected of involving foul play.

UPDATE: [1/31/13; 2:30 p.m.] Authorities have released the identity of the man killed in last week's fire on Barbara Drive in East Norriton According to East Norriton Fire Marshal Frank Ludwig, the death of 44-year-old Bryan O'Neill has been ruled accidental. The cause of the fire was determined to be careless smoking on O'Neill's part. Officials were able to contact O'Neill's brother to inform him of the situation. --- Original story: Three separate fires that occurred within a few miles and only days, two of which were fatal, had sparked suspicion among some area residents who feared the fires might be the work of an arsonist. Officials from both West Norriton and East Norriton fire departments have commented to Patch that none of the …

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One Dead in Early Morning Fire in East Norriton

A second victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

UPDATE: [1/24/13; 7 a.m.] East Norriton Fire Chief Jim Staufenberg and East Norriton Police Chief Karyl Kates confirmed that one man is dead and another was transported to nearby Einstein Medical Center Montgomery for treatment of minor injuries following a fire in a home at Barbare Drive and Denise Road in East Norriton early Thursday morning. The victim has not yet been identified. Norriton Fire Engine Company responded to the call at approximately 1:45 a.m. and firefighters say when they arrived on the scene, the home was engulfed in flames. Jefferson and Centre Square fire companies also responded to the scene.  Firefighters who entered the structure for an initial search were unable to locate the man reportedly trapped inside. His …

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Three Residents, Two Firefighters Injured in East Norriton Fire

Firefighters from several companies battled the blaze in extreme conditions.

At least five people were reported injured in a house fire in the 3000 block of Whitehall Road in East Norriton overnight. According to Norriton Fire Engine Company Capt. Derek Thomas, three civilians and two firefighters sustained injury battling the blaze in extremely cold conditions. Norriton Fire Engine Company responded to the call sometime after 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Jan. 23, with assistance from Worcester and Jefferson fire companies. Plymouth Ambulance, East Norriton Police and East Norriton Public Woks also responded to the scene. According to NBC10, the firefighters were injured when they slipped on ice at the scene and three residents were injured jumping out of a second story window to escape the fire. All of the inured …

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James Myers

7:11 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Just got an update that as of 7 a.m., Whitehall Road is still closed as crews clean up the scene after the fire.   more ›

Vera Cavello Dies of Injuries Sustained in Saturday Fire in West Norriton

The woman who was rescued by firefighters from a fire at her West Norriton home on Saturday died of her injuries on Sunday.

According to The Times Herald, the elderly woman who was rescued from a burning home in West Norriton early Saturday morning has died of her injuries. According to her obituary on Legacy.com, Vera "Babe" Cavello, nee Lombardo, died at Temple Burn Center in Philadelphia from injuries she sustained in the fire at her home. She was 90 years old.  Cavello was born in Norristown and had previously worked at the Hoisey's Nill and the Lombardo Laundromat in Norristown. She is survived by four sons, a daughter and six grandchildren. Nicholas Cavello, her son, was also injured in the blaze, but was reportedly released from the hospital on Sunday. Read Vera Cavello's obituary here and read more about the fire and her rescue here. You can read the …

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