Pets perish in Girardville fire
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Smoke pours from the front porch of 235 A Street in Girardville.
GIRARDVILLE – Seven pets perished in a row home fire in Girardville Thursday morning.
Fire crews were called to 235 A Street around 7:30am for the structure fire.
Rangers Hose Lieutenant and Girardville Mayor Michael Zangari was among the first on scene and found heavy smoke coming from the row home.
A second alarm was quickly struck for manpower, bringing firefighters from Ashland, Shenandoah, Mahanoy City, Mount Carmel, William Penn, and Englewood to the scene to assist.
The fire was brought under control in about an hour, but not before adjoining homes on either side received damage.
Girardville Fire Chief Frank Zangari said the fire was contained to 235 A Street and adjoining homes at 233, 237, and 239 had smoke and water damage. 233 has been vacant for years, he said, but the rest are occupied.
The fire building at 235 is occupied by John Squires, wife Terri Rosenburger, daughter Amanda Hallsey, and son Michael Hallsey.
“John woke up to his daughter yelling ‘Fire, Fire, Fire!’ She was in the kitchen,” Frank Zangari said. “They evacuated the house. All of the smoke alarms were going off.”
Squires ran down to Ogden Street, where Girardville Police Chief Fred Lahovski was wrapping up a call, to report the fire.
Seven pets — two cats, two dogs, two birds, and a hamster — died in the fire.
Frank said the fire remains under investigation by him and State Police Trooper John Burns. He said the fire originated in the kitchen and spread upstairs.
237 was occupied by Frank Zangari’s aunt Dorothy, who is in her 90’s, and was helped from the home by neighbors and firefighters.
No residents or firefighters were injured in the firefight.
The American Red Cross is assisting those displaced.
Also responding to the scene along with firefighters were EMTs from Ashland and Shenandoah, police from Butler Township and Ashland, and Girardville Fire Police.
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