WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Gallons of water flowed from hoses into two homes in Wilkes-Barre to put out a destructive fire.
Flames ripped through the home on the 100 block of Waller Street just before noon Saturday.
Firefighters from Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding area were fighting the blaze.
The fire started in a double-block home and spread to the single-family home next door.
Wilkes-Barre's Fire Chief tells Newswatch 16, no one was injured, but 9 people were forced out of their homes.
Earlette Luton was working just down the street at the Pantry Quik when she spotted the flames.
"I was just standing outside getting some fresh air when I happened to notice the flames coming out of the right side of the house. At that point in time, I grabbed the phone, dialed 911, and just ran over there and started yelling, you know everybody gets out, let's go, let's go, the house is on fire," said Luton.
Luton says the whole situation is sad because she knows the family.
"Right now, I'm a little overwhelmed, you know, because I know them very well. Their customers of ours, you know. It's heartbreaking, very heartbreaking. At this time, when everybody's down and out, everybody's hurting," said Luton.
The acting assistant fire chief says one challenge firefighters had to overcome was working with the power lines in their way. Ultimately they had to disconnect them in order to do their job.
"161 and 163 there's heavy structural fire damage to the inside, so you won't see any firefighters in there. It's too dangerous, but there is still extinguishment to the single-family," said Chief Jay Delaney of the Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department.
The Red Cross is assisting the families.
Fire officials tell Newswatch 16 the families do have some pets, but their condition is unknown.
There's no word on what caused the fire.