Nov. 18--To save themselves, a man and a 13-year-old girl jumped from the third floor of a house that was on fire Saturday in Pottsville.
"It was the third-floor window, about 35 feet from the ground, and whatever happened, happened fast. But I think if they wouldn't have jumped, they probably wouldn't have survived that fire," Pottsville fire Chief Todd March said Saturday night.
Brian Dunlap, 35, and Brianna Parks, 13, were flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, March said.
Both Dunlap and Parks were in stable condition Saturday night, according to a hospital spokeswoman.
The fire occurred at 101 N. 16th St. at 11:15 a.m. March said he believes it was accidental but he did not know the exact cause Saturday night. The blaze gutted the first floor and caused moderate fire and smoke damage to the second and third floors, making it "unlivable," March said.
The property is owned by Robert and Rhoda Sedlak, according to the online Schuylkill Parcel Locator.
Rhoda Sedlak was living there with Dunlap, her boyfriend, March said, although did not have much information on Parks.
"She's a relation of one of the two. I'm not sure which one," March said.
Rhoda Sedlak was not at home at the time of the blaze.
"It looks like it started in the kitchen at the rear of the first floor. It gutted the kitchen pretty good, then started burning through the living room toward the front of the house," March said.
The fire call came into the Schuylkill County Communications Center at 11:15 a.m., according to a communications supervisor.
The city fire department responded to the scene at 11:22 a.m., March said.
"Heavy smoke was pouring out every window," March said at the scene.
Responders included city firefighters, city police, Pottsville/Schuylkill Haven ALS, Shenandoah ALS, Schuylkill Haven RIT team, Saint Clair EMS and two medical helicopters, LifeFlight 5 and MedEvac 7.
The fire was contained within 15 minutes, March said.
The home was half a double, connected to 103 N. 16th St., owned by Edward J. and Bernadette Dutton, according to the Schuylkill Parcel Locator.
March said Fred Beadle rents 103 N. 16th St.
"That property sustained a lot of smoke damage," March said.
Traffic was detoured from going up Market Street past 16th street as a result of the fire.
The scene was cleared at 1:36 p.m., according to the communications supervisor.
Copyright 2012 - Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
