Fire breaks out in Newberry Township homes basement No one injured, but pet cat found dead A fire broke out inside a home near Yocumtown shortly after 3 p.m., killing a familys pet cat and resulting in estimated damages of more than $200,000, Newberry Fire Chief Gary Hatterer said. Firefighters were dispatched to 43 White Dogwood Dr., a two-story unit in a cluster of row homes in Newberry Township just west of Interstate 83. Upon arrival, crews attacked a working fire inside the unit and prevented flames from spreading to two adjacent units, Hatterer said. The fire was out by 4 p.m. A family of five — father, mother, and three children — who lived in the home was on vacation at the time of the fire, Hatterer and neighbors said. Both the father and one daughter are volunteer firefighters with Fairview Township, Hatterer later said. Trinity Rowles, 12, and Emily Stimmell, 11, who are best friends and live nearby on White Dogwood Drive, said they were playing on the front steps of their home and went out for a walk when they saw smoke nearby. They walked closer to the fire and were able to see smoke billowing from the home. They heard the sound of fire crackling and saw smoke and flames coming from a vent, which was melting, the friends said. I didnt know it could happen so fast, Rowles said of the fire. Patty Kelly-Holjes, who lives in the unit next to where the fire started, said the family living in unit 43 had gone on vacation to their cabin, about three hours away. Once they heard about the fire, Kelly-Holjes said, the family decided to return. Kelly-Holjess son, Ian Kelly, 18, is a volunteer firefighter with Fairview Township, and was at the scene Thursday. The fire did not cause any major damage to the adjacent units, but did result in some smoke and heat damage, Kelly-Holjes said. Our house smells like smoke, but its OK, she said. Firefighters focused their efforts in the basement of the home, where the fire appeared to have started in the dryer, Hatterer said. The blaze believed to be accidental, he added. The inside of the home was a complete loss, fire officials said. The Red Cross was not dispatched to the scene and Hatterer said the family was planning on staying with friends. One firefighter was seen being treated briefly on the scene for minor injuries. He was not transported to the hospital, Hatterer said. Source, Read more: ydr/local/ci_26254677/fire-breaks-out-newberry-township-homes-basement
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 02:36:32 +0000
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