x
Breaking News
More () »

Neighbors Fear Scranton Fire Was Set

SCRANTON — Scranton firefighters faced a huge fire Friday morning along Providence Road at a vacant apartment house. The fire now has a neighborhood on ed...

SCRANTON -- Scranton firefighters faced a huge fire Friday morning along Providence Road at a vacant apartment house.

The fire now has a neighborhood on edge.

Ray Fuller said the sirens woke him up, but he got out of bed because of the glow. He saw orange out his window and then the flames coming from a few houses up on Providence Road.

"The whole sky was filled with embers, burning embers, and me and the neighbor were putting out all the burning embers with a garden hose," Fuller said.

Parts of it still smoldered later on in the morning. The vacant apartment house with four units was destroyed because of the fire.

Scranton's Fire Chief said it had spread to all four units by the time crews arrived.

"I could see fire coming up the road here, and I could smell it when I got back to my house. I live in west side and I could smell the fire, I could smell the smoke," Chief Pat DeSarno said.

It is  rare that an excavator is already at a burned out building only hours after the fire happens. But, Chief DeSarno said they had no choice but to tear the building down immediately.

Neighbors said the apartment building was slated for demolition. But, this isn't how they expected it to happen.

"It was an old dilapidated home, nobody's going to miss it," added Fuller.

Patricia Jones lives next door and said she always feared a fire would happen. She was just happy her apartment wasn't damaged as she cleaned ashes off her driveway.

Jones said groups of people have been coming and going from the building over the past few weeks.

"{I've been} calling the police from time to time for them to come and check it out, but by the time they would come they'd be gone," Jones said.

Jones and her neighbors said they'll keep a closer eye on other vacant buildings from now on.

Fire officials said they do not think they will ever be able to prove whether the fire was arson since any evidence was likely destroyed in the demolition.

 

Before You Leave, Check This Out