Family Rescued from Plains, Pennsylvania Fire

PLAINS TWP. -- Allen Georgetti said he and his daughters were getting ready to jump off a first-floor roof to escape flames when a firefighters ladder reached them.

Fire Department Captain Tom Antosh was the first to arrive at 5 and 9 Main St. He and a passer-by, Joe Derugino, rescued Georgetti and his daughters, ages 7 and 11.

Lucky were close, Antosh said about the fire station one block away. It only took us 30 seconds to get here and we got everyone to safety.

Antosh said the blaze was called in at about 2 p.m. as a dryer fire, but he soon realized the fire started in the kitchen of one of the apartments.

The man in the downstairs right apartment was frying chicken wings in his kitchen, he said. That is definitely how the fire started.

That man, who declined to comment, told Antosh he was cooking chicken wings and before he knew it, there was a fire, Antosh said.

The resident said he immediately began knocking on the other tenants doors. Antosh said the man suffered smoke inhalation and was treated by medics.

Antosh said three of the buildings four residents should be able to move back in by the end of the week.

He said the apartment where the fire started sustained fire damage, and the dwelling above it sustained smoke and water damage. He said the Red Cross would take care of housing for the residents until the structure is cleaned up.

And as for the two Georgetti children that were rescued: They werent even scared, their father said. They were just happy we and their guinea pigs were safe.

Plains Township firefighter Tom Chalker suffered an ankle injury while battling the blaze.

I twisted my ankle coming down the steps in the house, Chalker said as a medic wrapped his left ankle. I dont know how long I was in there, but this stuff (injury) happens.

Kingston and Pittston fire departments assisted at the scene.

Distributed by the Associated Press