News

September 27, 2009

3-alarm W-B blaze investigated

One family left homeless as blaze sweeps duplex

By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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WILKES-BARRE – Police and fire officials are investigating a blaze that left an East Northampton Street couple and their dog homeless late Friday night.

Firefighters were dispatched at 10:27 p.m. to a residential structure fire at a 2�-story double-block home at 502-504 E. Northampton St. The 504 side was fully involved in flames when they arrived, said Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Reilly.

“Flames were coming out everywhere when we got here. … I called in a second alarm within minutes,” Reilly said.

Because of the volume of fire, Reilly said the blaze went to a third alarm when he called in 10 off-duty firefighters, some of whom responded to the scene and others who “manned backup apparatus so the city was covered.”

Fire crews tackled the blaze with four attack lines and an aerial ladder, and the blaze was extinguished within 25 to 30 minutes. Firefighters were still working on dousing hot spots after midnight, and crews completed scene cleanup at 2:39 a.m. Saturday, Reilly said.

Reilly said the fire is believed to have started on the 504 side of the duplex, which was supposed to be vacant.

Neighbors who live on East Northampton Street said the former residents had a lot of pets, had some problems with animal control because of it, and recently were evicted.

Reilly said a cause and exact origin of the blaze has yet to be determined.

“The whole first floor was fully involved; the second floor, fire was coming out the windows and going into the attic. It was hard to tell at that point where it started,” he said, adding that Assistant Chief/Fire Inspector William Sharksnas and police Detective Brent Severson are investigating.

Neighbors tried to make sure residents were out safe before fire crews arrived.

Cassie Herbert, 27, who lives across the street at 509 E. Northampton St. in Wilkes-Barre Township, said she was on a couch in her living room watching the season premier of “Numb3rs,” on CBS when she noticed a bright light from a window.

She said she saw flames coming from the side of the first floor of the 504 side near the chimney and yelled for her brother, Brent.

Brent Herbert, 16, said he called 911. “I was banging on their door. … I said (to 911), ‘There’s a fire. Everything is going to burn.’”

Herbert said he knocked on the 504 side, but nobody answered. He said he went next door and “made sure the lady on the other side of the duplex was safe.”

Frank Kowalski, 47, of East Northampton Street, said he was walking his girlfriend home from work at Philly Subs when he saw flames coming from the house. I ran across the street and banged on two doors and I didn’t get a response,” he said.

Christine Dunne, who lives on the 502 side, said she earlier had heard people inside the other half of the duplex, even though nobody was supposed to be in there since the former residents – a couple – were evicted.

Dunne, 52, said she was in bed when the fire broke out and “the dog started going berserk.” She made it out safely with her 2-year-old Australian cattle dog, Buster.

An employee at Mohegan Sun in Plains Township, Dunne said she was waiting for her husband, James, to come back home. He was working in Pittsburgh and was about five hours away from home when she called him with the bad news.

Dunne said she and her husband rent the half-double. She was trying to figure out a place to stay late Friday night.

Reilly said on Saturday that the American Red Cross arranged for temporary shelter for the family.

Neighbor Denise Carey, of 292 E. Northampton St., said on Saturday that she and friends have been distributing donation cans to Northampton Street businesses and she plans to set up a donation account for the Dunnes at Bank of America on Monday. She also plans to organize a fundraiser.

“I spoke with (Dunne) after the fire. She was devastated,” Carey said.

“She lost everything, all of her earthly belongings. I just want to be a good neighbor and try to help,” said Carey, who never met Dunne before the fire.

In her slippers, pajamas and a fleece coat, Dunne said on Friday that she and her husband didn’t have renters insurance.

“All I have is what I have on me right now,” Dunne said.

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