Click here to subscribe today or Login.
WILKES-BARRE — A fire that critically injured an elderly woman in her East End house was caused by a space heater and ruled accidental, Wilkes-Barre Fire Department Chief Jay Delaney said Friday.
The determination came a day after police, firefighters and paramedics rushed to 174 Kidder St. to find smoke pouring from the house and the injured woman, Clora Sylvester, outside on the front porch.
Wilkes-Barre Medic 5 unit transported Sylvester to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township where she was treated before being transported to the Lehigh Valley Regional Burn Center in Allentown. She was listed in critical condition on Friday.
Delaney said lead fire investigator Capt. Francis Evanko wrapped up his investigation Friday. Evanko was on the scene Thursday, but stopped his investigation due to darkness and returned Friday, the chief said.
Delaney said Evanko determined “the fire was caused by a space heater that was too close to a chair and it’s being ruled accidental in nature.”
When firefighters entered the woman’s side of the double-block house they “did find some heavy fire right inside the first floor,” Delaney said at the scene Thursday afternoon. The fire was extinguished fairly quickly and damage was confined to the woman’s residence, he said. He said the woman was the only person home at the time and there was no one in the adjacent apartments at 176 Kidder St.
“There were no smoke alarms sounding” when firefighters arrived shortly before 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Delaney said. He said the investigation determined there was an inoperable smoke alarm in the residence.