Pa. Firefighter Injured Battling Blaze at Own Home
FRACKVILLE, Pa. -- A West Mahanoy Township firefighter suffered minor injuries trying to extinguish flames that broke out at his home in the borough early Tuesday morning.
After an investigation by state police fire marshal Trooper John F. Burns on Tuesday, no cause of the fire was discovered.
Firefighters from Frackville, Altamont, Englewood and Mahanoy City were called to the home to the rear of 8 S. Balliet St. about 3:13 a.m. to find a second floor porch on the building fully engulfed in flames, along with firefighters from Mahanoy City's Rapid Intervention Team, as well as EMS units from Frackville, Shenandoah and Lost Creek, who assisted at the scene along with Shenandoah police.
The home is located in the first block of South Birch Street, Frackville police Patrolman Christopher Hand said. The property is listed with the Balliet Street address.
Hand said the homeowner, Gary Peters, 48, who is a member of the Altamont Fire Company, suffered minor injuries trying to put the fire out after calling 911. He was treated at the scene by EMS and did not require hospitalization.
Hand said the fire started around the rear porch and was contained to that area.
Alice Peters, 81, the mother of Gary Peters who lives in the home that fronts Balliet Street, was alerted to the fire when she heard a noise.
"I heard metal hitting something, and I came downstairs and looked outside and didn't see anything," Alice Peters said.
She said her son lives in the apartment with his two children, Cash, 6, and Carissa, 9. The children were not home at the time of the fire.
"The smoke alarms were going off in the house, and I came to the back door and found the porch well involved with fire," Garry Peters said. "I made the call to 911 and got out of the house."
Peters credited the rapid response from the local fire companies in controlling the blaze.
"I think they (firefighters) did a great job containing it to the back of the building. There is only fire damage to two rooms upstairs, and the rest is smoke and heat," Peters said.
Peters explained his injuries after discovering the fire. "When I initially came out on the back porch, I didn't have my shoes on and I tried to make a hit on the fire with a pressure water can, but it was just too much fire," he said. "I got second degree burns on both my feet."
Peters emphasized the importance of having working smoke alarms in their homes.
"If it weren't for the working smoke alarms in this house, the outcome could have been much worse," Peters said.
"I have to emphasize to the people to get smoke alarms in their houses. I have 30 years in the fire service with the Altamont Fire Company, and I've seen fires with other homes, but I've never had it happen to my own home. It's a rude awakening to actually see what a homeowner goes through when it's their house," Peters said.
Burns was at the scene for about 4 1/2 hours. Damage is estimated in excess of $40,000. Burns also credited smoke detectors as alerting Peters to the fire.
To help their fellow firefighter and his family deal with the fire loss, the Altamont Fire Company is accepting donations to help. Monetary donations can be mailed to the Altamont Fire Company, P.O. Box 409, Frackville, PA 17931, or dropped off at the fire company block party on Friday and Saturday. Mark your donation with "Fire Victim Fund."
Donations of clothing and household items will also be accepted. A list of needed items will be posted on the Altamont Fire Company's Facebook page in the near future.
Copyright 2012 - Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service