Firefighters from multiple departments responded to an early morning house fire in Shenandoah, containing the blaze and preventing a more serious incident.
The emergency dispatch came in around 3:45 a.m. for a report of a fire in the area of 511 West Arlington Street. Upon arrival, Shenandoah Fire Chief Rick Examitas confirmed a bedroom fire on the second floor of the residence. Fire crews acted swiftly, making a quick knockdown of the flames.
Units from Shenandoah, Frackville, and Mahanoy City responded to the scene along with a request for the Rapid Intervention Team (RIT) from Pottsville. Pottsville's RIT was cancelled before they arrived.
Chief Examitas praised the firefighters for their prompt response and effective work, especially given the challenging conditions of cold weather and the early hour of the incident.
Later Wednesday afternoon, Chief Examitas confirmed that the fire was ruled accidental after an investigation by Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Joseph Hall and the Shenandoah Police Department. The cause was determined to be careless smoking.
The chief also highlighted the importance of working smoke alarms, crediting the homeowners for having properly functioning alarms that alerted them to the fire in time to evacuate safely.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident. The two residents and their family pet were able to escape unharmed and are currently staying with family.
Photos Courtesy of JC Kriesher/Fire & Film