No injuries were reported after fire destroyed a garage and car on Liberty Street Monday night, damaging the back of the home and damaging two adjacent homes, with a passing motorist credited for notifying the residents and calling for help.
“Thankfully, he just happened to be there and saw smoke coming from the shingles,” Perry Township Fire Chief Bruce Whitcher said.
The man, who’s reportedly a retired firefighter from the area, was driving on the street and saw the smoke, then checked it out, finding the fire. According to Whitcher, the man called 911 and alerted two people inside the home about the garage being on fire.The fire department got the call before 5 p.m.
The homeowner, identified as Steven Grace, attempted to use a garden hose to put out the blaze before firefighters arrived, but the chief said the fire was too big. Perry Township responded with 15 firefighters and three trucks, attacking the garage and setting up water shields to protect the surrounding houses.