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Carbon County fire leaves five people without a home

Nobody was hurt after raging flames from the fire in Lansford consumed three homes.

LANSFORD, Pa. — Without a home for the holidays – a destructive fire in Carbon County forced several families from their homes, just two weeks before Christmas.

Caution tape now lines the homes on West Ridge Street in Lansford after Wednesday night's fire forced five people out of their homes.

Nobody was hurt after raging flames from the fire in Lansford consumed three homes.

The massive three-alarm fire damaged homes on West Ridge Street in the borough, which left five people without a home.

Fire officials say flames damaged a row home, two apartments, and another home.

All of the residents living in the charred homes managed to get out safely.

"I was like to my daughter, this is pretty bad when you can smell the smoke coming all the way from Summit Hill," said James O'Brien, Lansford. "It was pretty devasting."

The aftermath of the blaze has left all three roofs collapsed.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries in the fire.

Just next door, Pamela White was working at the Citgo gas station and Friendly Food Mart when she was alerted to the fire. 

"I was definitely scared because I'm thinking that the place could blow. You know if anything was to hit our roof or something like that. We would of been done," White said.

Propane tanks and gas pumps were shut off till this morning, when the store reopened. 

White says luckily no damage was done but inside the store, it does smell like smoke. 

Officials say the fire originated in the basement of 156 West Ridge Street apartment and spread.

Lansford Police Chief says the fire is not suspicious.

"This could of been a tragedy, yes. It could of been a lot worse than what it was. Thankfully it wasn't. I'm sorry for the families out there cause it is Christmas time," White added. "My heart goes out to them. They lost almost everything, if not everything."

Fire officials say the cause of the fire is undetermined. 

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