DUNMORE -- When Otto Miller heard about the fire on Chestnut Street in Dunmore Saturday morning that killed three people and left eight others without a home, he felt he had to do something to help right away
He found a bucket and hit the streets Sunday afternoon to start collecting cash. His goal: helping his friends and former housemates, Marie Fazio and her daughter Gwendelynn who are facing multiple tragedies.
They include death of Marie's brother, Joseph Fazio in the fire, the loss of their residence and property, and then, over the weekend, the death of another family member due to cancer.
Also lost in the fire, two sisters, Nicole and Ashley Price. Nicole leaves behind a 14-year-old son, Joshua.
Autopsies indicate all three deaths were accidental, due to breathing in too much smoke. The Lackawanna County Coroner has ruled their deaths accidental.
State police investigators are looking at whether a cigarette may have sparked the fire in the building that contained five apartments and a beauty supply store.
Salon owner Joanne Brown says she has shopped at the store for decades. She says, "I've been doing hair for 32, 33 years, and I have been buying from him all those years basically."
Eight people did survive the fire, aided in their escape by two Dunmore police officers who were nearby when the flames broke out.