Luzerne Twp. Fire Damages 3 Homes
LUZERNE TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – Three people were displaced and three homes were damaged after an early Saturday morning fire in Fayette County.
According to officials at the scene, the fire broke out at an abandoned home in the 500-block of Third Street in Luzerne Township around 5 a.m.
"My house was red. My bedroom was red and I thought my house was on fire," Dana Smith said.
The details of what happened remain fresh in Smith's mind after he was woken up around 5 a.m.
Smith lives next to the abandoned home that initially erupted into flames. Smith said he believes this was done at the hands of an arsonist.
"That thing went up so fast. They had to use gasoline or oil or something in there," Smith said.
The flames were so strong that they spread to the home next door and ignited the attic. A woman, her daughter and a baby were sleeping at the time.
Firefighters said they had to evacuate them and then start to put that fire out before they were able to even start on the initial fire.
Firefighers said it was a battle when they were able to get to the abandoned home. The roof collapsed and the flames proved to be difficult to knock down.
They said abandoned homes going up in flames around the area puts everyone at risk. Although they can't say what the cause is right now, the frequency of this happening has them wondering what's going on.
"I'm not sure if it was accidental or set on purpose, but this is happening way too much around here," Eric Furlong from the Isabella Fire Department said.
Neighbors like Smith agree and said it has to stop.
"I thought everything was gone. We almost lost three houses here," Smith said.
The abandoned home is a total loss, while the other two homes involved suffered some damage as well.
Firefighters are calling on the community to contact them if they know how the fire started.
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