Loyalsock Township fire leave 4 homeless
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A two-alarm fire at 1524 Oakmont Drive, just east of Bloomingrove Road, in Loyalsock Township late Monday afternoon has left a family of four homeless, according to fire officials. The fire was quickly brought under control.
The fire was reported at 5:45 p.m. and was contained within 20 minutes. There were no reports of injuries.
The fire has been ruled accidental, Paul Lester, a township assistant fire chief, said.
Family members were home and called 911. The fire originated on a back porch, where smoldering ashes had been left, Lester said.
The fire extended to the siding of the home, the living room and attic before it was stopped, Lester said.
Using salvage tarps, firefighters saved many of the family's personal possessions from sustaining more damage, he said.
The family, whose name was not released, was staying with friends, relatives or at a lodging facility.
Lester said the property is insured.
Concerning another fire, city firefighters responded to the Lamade Gymnasium at Lycoming College on Mulberry Street when a clothes dryer caught fire in the basement about 1 p.m. Tuesday. While most of the fire was extinguished when they arrived on the scene, firefighters were faced with a heavy smoke condition in the basement.
Exhaust fans were used for about 30 minutes to clear smoke from the area.
The fire was confined to the burning dryer. However, firefighters checked the vents on the building's roof to make sure there was no extension, officials said.
A college employee who was credited with putting out the fire with a portable extinguisher suffered smoke inhalation and was taken by ambulance to UPMC to be treated, fire officials said.
About 40 minutes after this incident, Loyalsock Township volunteer firefighters rushed to the Lycoming County Prison's pre-release center on County Farm Road to investigate a report of heavy smoke in the building.
Fire officials said the problem appeared to be with the building's heating ventilation system because the smoke quickly dissipated, and no actual fire was found.