Authorities ID woman killed in Jenkintown fire

Police on Sunday identified a Jenkintown resident killed in a house fire over the weekend as Susanne Whitehead, a beloved member of the Montgomery County community.

At about 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jenkintown’s police and fire departments responded to a fire in a duplex on the 200 block of Summit Avenue. They found “heavy fire” on the first and second floors of the house, police said in a statement. Whitehead, 69, was found unconscious on the second floor, and was taken to Abington Jefferson Hospital, where she later died of injuries and smoke inhalation, police said.

Two firefighters were hospitalized, one for a possible heart attack and the other for heat exhaustion. Police said Sunday that the heat exhaustion victim had been released and that the other firefighter remained hospitalized but is “doing fine.”

Several firefighters were treated at the scene for heat-related problems and one was treated for a minor burn, police said.

A family living in the adjacent residence was evacuated and is staying with relatives, police said.

Community members took to Facebook to mourn Whitehead’s death and thank first responders.

“The loss of Susanne is devastating for all of us who worked with her on so many different community and environmental issues. She will be so very missed,” Stephen McCarter wrote.

One of her projects was the Jenkintown-Wyncote train station.

“We have worked with Suzanne [sic] for years, fighting to keep the Historic Jenkintown-Wyncote station viable, maintained and relevant,” Olga Shast McHugh wrote. “Our hearts are broken.”

Prayers were said for Whitehead at her parish, Immaculate Conception Church in Jenkintown, friends said.

Jenkintown’s fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire with help from Cheltenham and Lower Moreland Townships and the Pennsylvania State Police, police said. Whitehead’s residence sustained severe damage as a result of the fire, they said.