Fire ravages vacant home on Route 405 near Dewart
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DEWART -- An early-morning multiple-alarm blaze on Tuesday destroyed a vacant home at 14740 Route 405, about a mile north of here, in Delaware Township, according to Warrior Run Area Fire Chief Doug Funk.
The fire at the property owned by Jacob and Jessice Kitchens, of Milton, broke out just before 3 a.m. and took about an hour to bring under control, he said. There were no reports of injuries, Funk added.
Much of the house was engulfed in flames, he said, adding, "There was no way we could attempt an interior attack whatsoever."
With the below-freezing temperatures, icy conditions were a problem as were down power lines, but crews from both the state Department of Transportation and PPL responded quickly to the scene to assist firefighters with those challenges, Funk said. Firefighters from Northumberland, Union and Lycoming counties battled the blaze and the last fire apparatus pulled away about 6 a.m., Funk said. Several tankers were needed to shuttle water from a hydrant here in this small village to the scene, he added.
The fire also damaged cable lines that likely resulted in knocking out internet service in the area for a time, Funk said.
No damage estimate was determined for the house, but Funk said the owners had fire insurance on the property. A state police fire marshal was expected to be on the scene today to determine the origin and cause of the blaze, Funk said.
Volunteer firefighters in the region were dispatched to a second house fire about 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, this one in the 2200 block of Crossroads Drive in Union County's White Deer Township. The fire burned out of control for quite a while. No additional details were available Tuesday night.