A house fire this weekend on the west side of New Whiteland displaced a family and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage.
New Whiteland firefighters were called about 3:40 a.m. Saturday to the 900 block of Nicole Way, off Tracy Road, to a residential fire. On the way to the scene, firefighters were notified that a neighbor had said people were still inside the burning home, Fire Chief Dale Saucier said.
Information that people were still in the home upgraded it to an entrapment call, and five other local fire agencies were dispatched, Saucier said.
When firefighters arrived, they found the home completely engulfed in flames, including its enclosed garage and attic. The family who lived at the home had escaped before firefighters arrived.
As firefighters were searching inside the home’s second floor for any potential victims, they discovered they could not go down the stairs due to damage caused by the fire. They escaped through a second-floor window using a ladder, Saucier said.
It took crews about an hour to get the blaze under control, and many first responders remained on scene for four to five hours, he said.
Neighboring houses on both sides of the home sustained external damage. Siding and insulation melted on both, Saucier said.
The fire remains under investigation, but the cause is likely accidental. The fire is believed to have started in the garage, he said.
Saucier estimated the damage will likely top $350,000, including the home and its contents. The estimate does not include damage to the three cars at the home, including a new pickup truck, he said.
The Red Cross and Fire Angels, Inc., a local disaster-relief nonprofit, are assisting the family affected by the fire.
A GoFundMe page has also been set up for the family by their neighbors. To donate, go to https://gofund.me/4c96ab4a.
