OBIT: Michael PFOFF, 1903, Loretto, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, May 1, 1903 A BAD FIRE AT LORETTO Michael Pfoff Loses His Life in the Flames About two o'clock on Thursday afternoon a little daughter of Mr. Frank O'Hara in Loretto, discovered a small blaze of fire coming from the roof of the residence of Michael Farabaugh in Loretto and telling her father, he quickly gave the alarm. The people of the town quickly gathered, but owing to the limited facilities for fighting the fire, it made rapid headway and being an old frame building, it burned like tinder and was soon reduced to ashes. The fire spread from the building occupied by Farabaugh to the residence and store of B. W. Litzinger and also to several small frame buildings, used as ware rooms and stables and they too were burned to the ground. For a time it seemed as if the town was doomed but owing to the energetic work of the bucket brigade the fire was gotten in control and confined to the buildings above mentioned. After the fire had been gotten under control it was discovered that Michael Pfoff, a brother of Mrs. B. W. Litzinger, was missing, and at this time, it is pretty generally believed that Mr. Pfoff lost his life in the Litzinger building. He was last seen up in the attic where, along with several others, he had gone to try to protect the building. When the attic got so full of smoke that they could no longer stay, they got out and it was supposed Pfoff had come out with the others. He had not been since and it is expected that his remains will be found in the smoldering ruins. Pfoff was a single man, about 45 years of age and was a native of Loretto. All the buildings burned were owned by B. W. Litzinger, whose loss at this time cannot be estimated. It is not known whether there was any insurance or not.