Firefighters contain PA duplex fire to two rooms
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News (April 6, 2009)
Apr. 6--SUNBURY -- A late afternoon fire that broke out at a South Fourth Street duplex Sunday destroyed a bedroom and a bathroom, but the residence itself was saved, reported Chad Betts, chief of the Sunbury Fire Department.
The blaze, which is believed to have originated in the home's bedroom, broke out shortly after 5 p.m., and firefighters had it the fire under control in less than an hour later.
"The biggest problem is that 90 percent of the houses in Sunbury are old," said Betts.
There are open areas between the walls and floors of the house, meaning fire can travel easily from floor to floor, Betts said. Still, open space wasn't a problem for firefighters Sunday; they contained the fire to two rooms of the home, a bedroom and bathroom.
The right side of the duplex, 237 S. Fourth St. -- in which the fire started -- is home to Jennifer Parsons, 37; her kids, Marissa, 14, and Joshua, 10; and Michael Paul, 37. The left side of the duplex, 239 S. Fourth St., is home to Dora Broscious, 90, and her son, Billy Williamson, 35. Both homes -- 237 S. Fourth St. and 239 S. Fourth St. -- are owned by Marilyn and Charles Wirt. Both families were evacuated when Betts arrived on scene.
Firefighters were on all sides of the house, with ladders stretching to most of the second floor windows, were responders were waiting in case the fire jumped sides. They could be seen from the alley behind the house, checking over the back left room where the fire is believed to have originated.
According to Betts, the bedroom and the bathroom were "gutted," and the remainder of the second and first floors sustained smoke damage. The left side of the duplex had minor smoke damage.
The cause, said Betts, has been ruled accidental. He added a burning candle in the bedroom may have ignited the fire.
Still, no official cause has been determined. No injuries have been reported.
The family at 237 S. Fourth Street were unable to stay in their home Sunday night. Broscious and Williamson were cleared to stay home Sunday night; only Williamson decided to stay, officials reported.
Neither of the families had renter's insurance, said Betts.
Those responding to the scene included Sunbury Fire Department, Upper Augusta Volunteer Fire Company and Shamokin Dam Fire Company.

