News

west side apartment FIRE

May 2, 2008

2 hurt in Kingston blaze

By Ed Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
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KINGSTON – A Forty Fort firefighter and an elderly man were treated for injuries suffered in a fire at a three-story, 12-unit apartment building at 151 E. Walnut St. Thursday morning, fire Chief Bob Cannon said.

The firefighter, whose name wasn’t released, suffered a back injury in a fall and was transported to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, Cannon said.

An elderly man who apparently suffered burns to his body was taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township and flown to the Lehigh Valley Hospital burn unit in Allentown, according to Cannon.

Two other elderly residents were taken to General Hospital as a precaution.

Firefighters responded at about 11:34 a.m. to the report of a fire in the kitchen of a third-floor apartment, Cannon said.

“This could have been a lot worse.” he said.

Cannon praised the quick work of firefighters, who contained the blaze that damaged the kitchen. Flames also damaged the attic, he said. Other third-floor apartment units sustained smoke damage, and apartment units on the second and first floors sustained water damage.

Cannon said firefighters helped several residents escape the building while most were able to get out on their own.

Edward Balchun, a third-floor resident, said he was watching TV when he smelled smoke.

“I opened my door about an inch and all this black smoke came in,” Balchun said. “I shut my door, gathered my valuables and walked down the back fire escape.

“As I was walking down, the firefighters were coming up. I said to them, let me get down. They helped me down,” Balchun said. “I’m very fortunate.”

The apartment building, The Andover, is part of the Chapin Apartments, a series of three-story residential buildings on East Walnut Street. Cannon said most of the residents are elderly.

Crystal Johnson, who cleans the buildings, said she was across the street in another building when she smelled smoke and heard smoke alarms.

“I came out and I knew something was wrong,” Johnson said. “I ran up to the third floor but couldn’t get far because of the smoke.”

Johnson said she ran back to the first floor and used the intercom system to reach tenants. She managed to contact an elderly woman who was trapped inside her third-floor apartment.

“She said she couldn’t get out. I told her to stay low and help is on the way,” Johnson said. “I’ve never been that afraid in my life.”

Firefighters from Kingston, Forty Fort and Edwardsville, along with paramedics from several West Side departments and Plains Township, responded.

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“I opened my door about an inch and all this black smoke came in.”

Edward Balchun

Third-floor resident

Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.

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