SHAMOKIN, Pa. — The fire was massive. Firefighters were on scene for hours on Bear Valley Avenue Monday morning.
Shamokin fire officials said the flames spread to a total of seven rowhomes, most of them occupied, though thankfully, everyone got out safely.
"A 3 o'clock my fiancé woke up he smelled smoke. At 4 o'clock, he got me and my five kids up, and we got out of the house. We heard an explosion, and that's basically it," said Jennifer Smith of Shamokin.
The smoke and flames brought neighbors, shocked to see the damage.
"We saw a big flash and my husband, and I looked out the window, and I said there were huge flames, and I thought it was the house next door and they have a lot of kids so we ran and we started banging on doors and called 911," said Danielle Guinther of Shamokin.
"When I first come up, it was nothing but smoke and flames through the whole avenue here. So many people that's going to be out of a house though too and some older people that are up there and one lady she moved in maybe three weeks ago," said Allen Straub of Shamokin.
The Red Cross is helping those forced from their homes.
Fire officials are investigating what sparked the blaze.