SCRANTON, Pa. -- Fire officials in Scranton are investigating the cause of an overnight blaze that destroyed a vacant house on Preston Place.
The flames started after midnight and spread quickly, according to firefighters.
"Heard popping, popping and as soon as I jump up, I see the little orange glow coming through the window, I open the window, the place is fully engulfed. I yell at the wife, 'Wake up! Wake up! There's a bad fire,'" said Clyde Beach, who lives nearby.
The house was empty. Neighbors say it has been vacant for quite a while.
The roof was caving in. The fire destroyed it altogether.
The flames were so high, they burned nearby treetops.
"All of that was just flames, this whole thing was just flames and then parts of the roof started falling in and I've even seen things fall down from the side right there. The whole neighborhood was just smoke," said Dayne Martin of Scranton.
"Scary, frightening stressful, I'm glad no one was in there," said another neighbor who did not want to be identified.
Fire officials are investigating who or what sparked the blaze.
