Fire Strikes Former Pa. Church Turned Home

Nov. 16--RANSHAW -- Firefighters looked to have a two-alarm blaze under control at 1 a.m. Saturday that had spread through a former church that has since converted into a residence.

The fire was first reported to 9-1-1 at 11:30 p.m. Friday at the former Faith Reformed Chapel at Fifth and Apple streets, uphill from Main Street.

There were initial reports of entrapment but no one was home when the fire ignited. It was being rented the past two years by Jeremy "Red" Weikel, who identified the owner as Johanna McGinn.

Weikel was watching from a vacant wooded lot across Fifth Street. His children weren't with him this weekend, but he was worried about the fate of his two cats and one dog still inside.

He said he was at the Brady Fire Company bar when the fire started.

"My mom ran in and told me," Weikel said.

His mother, Linda Madden, of nearby 446 Main St., said she was in bed when her husband woke her up.

"He said, 'Wake up. Red's house is on fire,'" Madden said. "I'm just grateful someone called (9-1-1)."

Flames spread quickly through the roof of the structure and a roof over what looked to be an addition. Fire and smoke burst through openings of a bell tower where a large church bell still hangs, threatening to burn through power lines.

"You don't know how many people wanted to buy that bell," said Donna Worhach Gross, a neighbor.

Firefighters initially worked from the interior before exiting, strictly keeping to the exterior. Six hoses were connected to the Brady Fire Company engine and positioned on all sides of the structure. Several hoses were concentrated on the bell tower before the flames in that area were finally knocked down.

Ralpho Fire Company's new ladder truck was on scene, it's first action at a structure fire. Parked in a lot off Main Street, the ladder stretched uphill above backyards and shot water onto the structure's main roof where a large hole eventually opened. It was supplied by tankers that dispensed water into a portable tank at Fourth and Main streets.

The scene remained active as of 1:45 a.m.

For more information see Sunday's print edition of The News-Item.

Copyright 2013 - The News-Item, Shamokin, Pa.