“She was helped out by neighbors. A woman brought one of her dogs out with her, but at least two others are believed to have perished,” township Fire Chief Shawn Bastian said as thick smoke continued to rise several hundred feet into the air.

The fire was reported about 6:20 p.m. and was brought under control just after 7 p.m.

“When firefighters began arriving, there was fire throughout the entire two-story home,” Bastian said.

“About 20 minutes into the fire, the front porch started to collapse, then a side shed, and that soon brought the rest of the house with it,” Bastian said.

“This is a total loss here,” he added.

The American Red Cross was assisting Walters, who was staying with friends, Assistant Fire Chief Paul Lester said.

In the last four weeks, more than half a dozen homes in the region have gone up in flames.

“We are seeing just too much of this,” said one volunteer firefighter, who has fought several of the blazes.

A state police fire marshal will be assisting in determining the cause of this fire, but it is more than likely that it could go undetermined due to the destruction.

Besides the township, volunteer firefighters from Montoursville, Eldred, Plunketts, Hepburn, Old Lycoming and Woodward townships as well as DuBoistown, Nisbet and the Williamsport Regional Airport all responded.