Rekindled blaze erupts at fire damaged Woodward Township home
Photo taken Saturday afternoon shows extent of damage from rekindled fire that erupted early Saturday morning, about 10 hours after the first blaze. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
Fire trucks line Queneshaque Road on Friday afternoon during the first fire at the home of Charlie and Patricia Schenck. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
Photo taken Saturday afternoon shows extent of damage from rekindled fire that erupted early Saturday morning, about 10 hours after the first blaze. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
Fire trucks line Queneshaque Road on Friday afternoon during the first fire at the home of Charlie and Patricia Schenck. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette
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Just hours after leaving the scene, volunteer firefighters were back at the home of Charlie and Patricia Schenck at 1656 Queneshaque in Woodward Township about 1 a.m. Saturday when Friday afternoon’s fire reignited, township Fire Chief Richard Whalen confirmed.
Although the house was already a total loss from the first fire that was reported at 3:15 p.m., the second blaze was much more intense, Whalen said.
“I could see an orange glow in the sky a half a mile away,” he said, adding that when he pulled up on the scene, “flames were shooting out of windows and were through the roof.”
The first fire originated in the basement and spread to one room on the first floor, Whalen said. However, there was extensive heat, smoke and water damage throughout the house.
The second fire destroyed the roof and both the first and second floor, Whalen said. “Everything collapsed into the first floor,” he added.
As with the first fire, nearly a dozen volunteer fire companies joined forces with Woodward Township to fight the second. There were no reports of injuries. It took about two hours for firefighters to bring the second fire under control
“We don’t know why the second fire started or where. It’s very upsetting,” Whalen said.
Trooper Nathan Birth, a state police fire marshal, was expected to visit the scene on Monday.