PHILIP A. HOLMES/Sun-Gazette When firefighters arrived at this house fire at 1801 Sholder Ave. in Old Lycoming Township, on Saturday afternoon, smoke was coming out from under the eaves.

Four family members, including a great-grandmother, along with a juvenile relative who was visiting, all safely fled an Old Lycoming Township home on Sholder Ave. when a fire erupted in a crawl-space attic about 2:20 p.m. Saturday, according to township Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Hope and Lycoming Regional Patrolman Michael Engel.

The fire was at James Johnston’s home at 1801 Sholder Ave. broke out about 2:20 p.m. and was declared under by 2:40 p.m. When Engel arrived on the scene, there was heavy smoke pouring from under the eaves.

Making sure there were no hidden hotspots, firefighters tear apart a section of the exterior to a house that caught fire Saturday afternoon on Sholder Avenue.

Johnston, 65, and his mother, Marian Johnston, along with her two great-grandsons, ages 17 and 12, and the juvenile visitor quickly exited the house, officials said. The 17-year-old and 12-year-old were in an upstairs bedroom watching or texting something on their cellphones when smoke suddenly started coming out of one of the walls, Engel said he was told. They alerted James Johnston to the situation and he “threw water on the wall,” called 911 and got everyone out, officials said. His son, Jesse, 34, who also lives in the house, was not home at the time.

Firefighters from the township, the city, Montoursville, Jersey Shore, Loyalsock Township and DuBoistown responded to the fire. Nisbet firefighters were on standby in Old Lycoming Township’s firehouse in the event any other emergencies took place during the fire.

PHILIP A. HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
WIilliamsport firefighter Joel Shirn moves quickly to put a ladder in place at Saturday’s house fire on Sholder Avenue.

The local chapter of the American Red Cross was providing emergency assistance for the displaced family, which was now staying in a vacant home, also owned by James Johnston, just across the street, Hope said. He estimated damage to be about $65,000. There was considerable smoke and water damage throughout the home, which will likely be uninhabitable for quite some time, investigators said. A state police fire marshal was expected to be on the scene, Monday.

This is the second structure fire in three days to displace county residents. A fire on Thursday nigjht in an apartment building on North Main Street in Hughesville left three people homeless. The cause of that fire was undetermined, officials said.