A look at the extent of the damage after the fire was knocked down.
Kevin Carroll | Times Leader
Officials: Four displaced, but no injuries
Smoke pours into the sky as firefighters battle a house fire on South Main Street on Tuesday afternoon in Pittston. No injuries were reported among the four occupants of the residence, but the house has been deemed a total loss.
Kevin Carroll | Times Leader
A look at the extent of the damage after the fire was knocked down.
Kevin Carroll | Times Leader
PITTSTON — A large house fire ripped through a South Main Street residence on Tuesday afternoon, leaving the four occupants of the home displaced but otherwise uninjured.
Fire and emergency crews from all over the Greater Pittston area, including Pittston Township, Jenkins Township, Germania and Avoca aided the Pittston City Fire Department in battling the blaze, which broke out at 342 South Main St. around 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Pittston City Fire Chief Frank Roman told reporters after the fire had been contained that the blaze was believed to have started in the rear of the residence.
“When we arrived, the rear of the structure was fully involved,” Roman said.
Four people were home at the time of the fire, according to Roman; two of the individuals were able to get out under their own power while two others were helped by some bystanders who saw the fire and rushed to help.
Two of the individuals were moved away from the immediate scene via stretcher; Roman clarified that the two weren’t injured, but that the stretcher was the quickest way to get them away from the heat and the smoke billowing from the residence.
Additionally, no pets or animals were reported to be inside the home.
Roman said that the fire was made more difficult to fight by the intense heat, but also because of the way the house was built.
“The house was all chopped up inside, with partitions and add-ons to the structure,” Roman said. “It made the fire more complex and more challenging to fight.”
The house was deemed to be a total loss, and Roman said that housing for the victims was being sorted out, but that he hadn’t gotten to speak to any of them yet.
A GoFundMe account for the homeowners was created shortly after the fire, to raise money to cover expenses and belongings. Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/gallo-family-fire-recovery-fund.
There was no speculation offered as to the cause of the fire, but an investigation will be done by the Pittston City Fire Department and, if necessary, a state police fire marshal.
Roman said an excavator was en route to the scene at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday to tear down what remained of the home.
