THROOP, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — A space heater is blamed for sparking a fire that destroyed a home in Throop Tuesday afternoon. Fire crews say the house is unhabitable.
Fortunately, the homeowners got out safely and no injuries were reported, which is amazing when you consider how quickly the fire spread.
"It was just a lot of fire in a concentrated area here," said Chief Andy Hegedus, Volunteer Hose Company #3, Throop.
The call came in around 10:00 Tuesday morning for flames in the living room of a home on Oleckna Street.
Multiple fire departments from across the region quickly responded to the scene.
Crews work on Price Creek to prevent flooding, road damage
"Crews arrived rapidly on the scene here, we had water on the fire just very quick but it was a very fast rapid moving fire," stated Chief Hegedus.
It took between 10 and 15 minutes to contain the flames on the first floor, but heavy smoke conditions lingered
"We had some smokey conditions on division two the second floor and up in the attic and just routine stuff for a fire like this in a single-family and a home of this age," added Chief Hegedus.
No injuries were reported but the house has significant fire and smoke damage.Many bystanders were shocked by the sight
"We just see this giant cloud of smoke it's just playing out, there's fire coming out of the windows, the porch is coming down, and I don't know it's just not something you see often so it's kinda crazy to see it I was amazed honestly," stated Gabriel Sandoval a witness.
It literally in 15 minutes within 5 minutes the whole first floor was engulfed in the living room from what I heard and within 10 minutes it was shooting almost out the roof," says John Krupa a witness.
"It was crazy happening across the street," mentioned Dennies Boyle the neighbor.
Again, the cause of the fire was a space heater, it was ruled accidental, and the homeowners will be staying with family.
