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Two dead in two early morning fires in Lycoming County

JERSEY SHORE – Two people perished early Wednesday morning in separate residential fires in Lycoming County, according to investigators.

One fire occurred in a one-story ranch-style home on Zinck Road in Mifflin Township while the other involved a mobile home on West Emerys Church Road in Woodward Township, officials said.

State police fire marshals were at the scenes of both blazes. The Lycoming County Coroner’s Office is also investigating both deaths. The victims’ identities were expected to be released after family members were contacted.

There was no indication that the fires were at all related. The causes of both fires remained under investigation.

The first fire broke out in the 200 block of Zinck Road at 4:30 a.m.

Citizens Hose Fire Chief Ethan Goodbrod said a woman and her adult son lived in the home. The son was already out of the house when a firefighter, who lives just a few doors away, arrived on the scene.

The son told the firefighter his mother was trapped inside the burning structure.

When the first fire truck arrived at the scene, one pair of firefighters entered the house through the front door with a hose while another pair were directed to the woman’s bedroom window, Goodbrod said.

“The firefighters brought her out the bedroom window” after they found her unconscious on the floor, he said.

She was rushed by ambulance to Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital, where she was later pounced dead, Goodbrod confirmed. He directed all other questions about the fatal to County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr. The woman’s son was not injured, Goodbrod said.

Responding to the blaze, firefighters could see “an orange glow” in the sky about a half a mile away. It took firefighters about 20 minutes to bring the blaze under control.

The second fire, a half mile east of Pine Run Road, was reported about 6:45 a.m. When Woodward Township Fire Chief Richard Whalen arrived on West Emerys Church Road, he reported a mobile home was engulfed in flames.

Some firefighters no longer needed at the Zinck Road blaze responded to the second fire as did Lock Haven and South Williamsport firefighters who were standing by at the Citizens firehouse on Locust St to handle other emergency calls.

Whalen placed the Woodward Township fire under control at 7:10 a.m.

One person was found dead inside the mobile home, one official confirmed.

Whalen said the victim was found in a hallway and it was believed she was trying to get to a back door when she collapsed.

He said the victim lived alone in the mobile home with her two dogs, who also perished in the fire.

Three of the victim’s cats were seen running around outside.

Township firefighters were still at the fire on Zinck Road when the blaze at 1547 W. Emerys Church Road, discovered by a passerby, was dispatched, Whalen said.

Woodward and other volunteer firefighters no longer needed at the first fire were immediately released to respond, Whalen said.

Firefighters used less than 6,000 gallons of water to put out the fire, he added.

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