Probe of Limestone Township house fire continues

A state police fire marshal has joined the investigation of a Sunday afternoon house fire in Limestone Township.

Firefighters were called back to the scene early Monday after the fire rekindled.

Hot spots were noticed in the basement of the 1304 Mountain Road home at 1:24 a.m., according to Nippenose Valley fire Chief Dean Miller.

"It was just a flare-up," he said. "Firewood stored in the basement rekindled and we had to go back and put more water on it."

Firefighters stayed for almost two hours.

Cpl. Nick Lofredo of the state police fire marshal department, who is in charge of the investigation, inspected the site Monday, Nippenose Valley assistant fire Chief Jeff Stabley said.

Attempts by the Sun-Gazette to reach Lofredo for comment on Monday were unsuccessful.

A few more details about the 2:36 p.m. Sunday fire were learned Monday, but more questions remain unanswered.

The home, which was destroyed, is owned by Nick Snyder, according to Miller.

Snyder lives in a separate house on Mountain Road, Stabley said.

Investigators still need to talk to Snyder, who reportedly was out of town on business, and the unidentified tenants.

Conflicting reports indicate that a man and a woman - possibly a husband and wife - lived there, but Miller said the woman may have moved out.

It is believed that no one was home when the fire started.

A damage amount is still unknown.

How the fire started is undetermined as well.

Miller believes it began somewhere around a deck protruding from the home, but he's not sure if the fire started indoors or outdoors.