MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — A Dauphin County firefighter injured while battling a blaze in January is returning home from the Philadelphia hospital where he's been recovering, and his fire company is planning to escort him.
Shawn Menear, a member of the Middletown Volunteer Fire Department, suffered third degree burns on his right leg when he was trapped inside a housefire in Royalton on January 23.
Menear became trapped under debris when the second floor of the home collapsed. Fire rescuers on the on-scene Rapid Intervention Team had to use saws to free him from the debris.
William Hardy, 67, died in the fire, which occurred on the 500 block of Water Street.
Approximately 90 firefighters from four counties were called to the scene to extinguish the fire.
After undergoing several treatments, including surgery to repair the damage to his muscles and skin grafts to treat the damaged skin, it took Menear several weeks to recover enough to walk on his own.
Menear is scheduled to be released from the Magee Rehabilitation Center in Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 6.
The Middletown Volunteer Fire Department will escort him the entire way from Philadelphia to his Royalton home.
The escort will take the Pennsylvania Turnpike from Philadelphia to Exit 247, proceed to Interstate 283 East to the North Union Street Exit, travel on Union street into the borough of Middletown, turn left onto Mill Street, right onto Grubb Street, left onto Swatara Street and end on Ulrich Street.
The public is invited to welcome Menear home by lining the streets of Middletown and Royalton, but is asked not to join the procession.