Reading, PA — A raging two-alarm blaze Friday night in a row home sent four people to the hospital and forced neighbors to spring to action in northwest Reading.
Crews were dispatched shortly after 9:30 p.m. to the 400 block of West Greenwich Street for the report of a structure fire with possible entrapment.
Reading Fire Chief William Stoudt Jr. said the first arriving firefighters found heavy flames coming from the front of the second and third floors of 408 W. Greenwich, immediately sounding a second alarm.
Firefighters were able to gain entry, searching the home for any victims but found everyone had escaped safely.
Thick smoke and flames billowed from the rear of the home, burning the roof and pouring out of the windows as crews climbed ladders to get to the fire.
Firefighters were still putting out hot spots well after 11 p.m.
Stoudt said four people inside were transported to Reading Hospital with injuries.
Francisco Vittini said that he was in his home across the street when he heard a cracking noise and glass falling, looking out the bathroom window to see fire coming from his neighbor's home.
Vittini said he ran downstairs and entered the open front door of the house, finding three people in the first floor with flashlights shining. He helped them outside when a woman inside said her son was upstairs. Vittini ran back inside and attempted to go to the second floor but was pushed back by the heavy smoke.
"I was foolish and maybe not thinking about myself, but I would wish someone would run in for me," Vittini said. "I'm the type of guy that doesn't think about my life. I think about others."
As Vittini ran in to the home, his brother, Robert Ramos, followed with a fire extinguisher but immediately went to the adjacent home, heading to the third floor to see if he could help the man trapped upstairs.
Ramos said he pushed an air conditioner from the window to access the roof, finding the man trapped inside.
Ramos said that he had to break a window, pulling the man through the broken glass and helped carry him downstairs to safety. His pants had blood stains from the man's injuries.
"I've never seen hell, but I've seen it now," Ramos said. "It was a scary moment, but all I could think of was getting everyone out."
Contact Michael Yoder: 610-371-5033 or [email protected].
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