Flames rip through Mt. Carmel block; neighbor helps rescue residents
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - A pair of Englewood firefighters look on as flames escape the attic of 241 South Poplar Street in Mount Carmel.
MOUNT CARMEL, Northumberland County – Fire ravaged several homes here Friday afternoon, and one neighbor’s actions helped residents from their burning home.
Firefighters were called to the 200 block of South Poplar Street around 1:30pm.
Flames could be seen blocks away at the moment of dispatch as they engulfed the fronts of a pair of homes at 241 and 239 South Poplar.
Mount Carmel Fire Chief John Janolek was at work at the time the fire was dispatched.
“From what I understand, the second division was fully involved and they pulled the second alarm right away,” Janolek said.
James Haynes, Mount Carmel, saw flames venting from the window before firefighters arrived and sprung into action.
“I got 911 on the phone and I ran in the house to see if there was anyone in there,” Haynes said. “There was an older man and his mother in there, and she kept trying to get the cats out of the house. I had to go back like three or four times to coax them to get out of the house.”
“I didn’t want anyone being trapped or anything,” Haynes said. At that point, he said the flames hadn’t advanced to a point where he could get in and try to help.
Haynes said his safety was the least of his concerns.
“I would hope someone would do that for me if I were in there,” Haynes said.
Janolek said, as far as he knew, no one was hurt in the fire.
Pets were taken from the home, though Janolek did not know their status.
Homes at 241, 239, 237, and 235 South Poplar received some form of damage in the blaze.
Information on how many people were displaced was not available at the scene Friday.
Responding to assist Mount Carmel firefighters were crews from Shamokin, Atlas, Coal Township, Ashland, Englewood, Mahanoy City, Girardville, and more.
Also responding were Mount Carmel Police, Mount Carmel Township Police, and Area Services EMS.
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