170-year-old church destroyed in Tioga County fire

The remnants of a small Baptist church in Tioga County were seen from the roadway on Thursday after a devastating fire on Wednesday. According to an 18 News reporter at the scene of the fire on Thursday, the Cherry Flats Baptist Church sign and steeple are among the few items that remain from the 170-year-old structure after it caught fire from a neighboring garage on Wednesday. Homeowner Melissa Bolt reported that a fire started inside her garage on Wednesday, July 24, sometime in the afternoon and got out of control, eventually spreading to the church building before fire crews arrived. “I was at work and my notifications on my phone kept going off for my security cameras here, so I happened to look at my phone and saw flames coming out of our garage,” Bolt said.
WETM-TV NBC 19 Elmira

Victim in fatal Greene Township fire identified

Pennsylvania State Police have identified the man who was found dead in a residence after a fire in Greene Township. The victim has been identified as 40-year-old Kevin Rouse. The structure fire was reported just before 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24, in the 4200 block of Steger Road. Responding firefighters reported that a male victim was found deceased within the home. The Erie County Coroner was called to the scene, and additional details surrounding the death are pending. Along with the coroner, PA State Police Erie Criminal Investigation Unit, Fire Marshal, and Forensic Services Unit responded to the scene. Seven different fire departments including Kuhl Hose Co., Waterford Fire Department, Wattsburg Hose Company, Fuller Hose Company, Brookside Fire Station, Perry Hi-Way Hose Company, and Greenfield Township Fire Department were all on the scene assisting.
WJET-TV ABC 24 Erie

Two people escape from house fire in Lancaster County

Firefighters battled a house fire in Lancaster County early Thursday morning. About six different fire companies responded to the fire in the first block of West Orange Street near Pine Lane in Lititz Borough just after 6 a.m. Two people were inside the home at the time of the fire but were able to evacuate safely, according to the Warwick Emergency Services Fire Commissioner. No one was injured. Fire crews were able to put the fire under control. The house was determined to be unlivable after sustaining major damage. The first block of West Orange Street was shut down between South Broad and South Spruce streets. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Photos from the scene show heavy fire and smoke coming from the structure.
WGAL-TV NBC 8 Lancaster

Crews respond to residential fire in Lower Gwynedd

PHOTOS: Area firefighters battled a blaze in a three story home in Lower Gwynedd early Tuesday morning. Crews were dispatched to the 500 block of Penllyn Pike at 2:16 a.m. on July 23 for a report of a residential fire. Arriving personnel encountered a fire on the first floor of the home, and additional fire service units were dispatched to the scene. The fire was ultimately placed under control at 3:05 a.m., though crews remained on scene until just before 7:30 a.m. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Wissahickon Fire Company was assisted at the scene by units from North Penn Fire Company, Fire Department of Montgomery Township, Fort Washington Fire Company, and other area first response units.
North Penn Now

‘Extreme hoarding conditions’ pose problems in Union Township mobile home fire

VIDEO: Emergency crews responded to a mobile home on fire in Union Township early Wednesday morning. Washington County 911 said units were called to Hidden Valley Drive just before 6 a.m. Firefighters told Channel 11 the two-alarm fire broke out in South Park Mobile Estates in Union Township. Neighbors said the smoke was so thick that they couldn’t even tell for sure where it was coming from at first. “[I was] very, very scared. I actually called for my daughter, I said, ‘Come on, we gotta go,’” said Aimee Martin. Firefighters said flames were shooting out of the sides of the house and were also coming out underneath, compromising the floors. That was just one of the issues they faced putting out the fire. “[There were] extreme hoarding conditions. Crews had a hard time getting in to make entry,” said chief Lenny Bailey of Elrama Volunteer Fire Company.
WPXI-TV NBC 11 Pittsburgh

Water challenge helping Central Pennsylvania firefighters beat the heat

VIDEO: In times of extreme or high heat, it’s important to remember that first responders like firefighters are constantly gearing up and heading into hotter conditions. That’s why one challenge in Central Pennsylvania is working to help fight the need for water in local fire companies. Firefighters often wear nearly 45 pounds of gear, including things like helmets, gloves, boots, coats and pants. Once you tack on other equipment like tanks, radios and lights that number can quickly be doubled. So, imagine yourself walking around in 98 degrees carrying over 80 pounds and still needing to work. While that may not sound like fun at any given time firefighters have to do this to help keep the community safe. In 2022, National Fire Protection Association found that overexertion and strain accounted for 32% of all injuries and thermal stress accounted for 7% of injuries.
WTAJ-TV CBS 10 Altoona

Update: Woman charged with arson for allegedly setting historic Chester County home on fire, police say

A Chester County woman was charged for deliberately setting a fire at a historic Main Line home on Tuesday morning. Easttown Township Police charged Kathryn Frankel with arson, risking catastrophe and other related offenses on Wednesday after a fire broke out at a home in Berwyn at 400 Leopard Road. It's the second fire at the home since May. The cause of that earlier fire was listed as "undetermined," according to police. Authorities haven't charged Frankel in connection with that fire. On Tuesday at about 10:45 a.m., authorities said police and fire were dispatched to the house fire at the three-story, 4,506-square-foot building as smoke spread throughout the home. Before the fire, Frankel told police she was at the home with her estranged husband and public adjuster to determine what property could be salvaged following the first fire in May.
KYW-TV CBS 3 Philadelphia