Chambersburg woman escapes early morning house fire

CHAMBERSBURG -- A homeowner escaped from a fire that destroyed her home early Tuesday in Hamilton Township.

“Her smoke alarm activated and woke her up,” said Steve Himes, deputy fire chief at Franklin Fire Company. “She started looking around and saw fire on her porch.”

She got out of her house and called 911 around 2 a.m. She was uninjured and outside with her dog when firefighters arrived. They rescued her cat from the burning house.

The fire at 1956 Bell Ave. apparently started from a gas grill on the back deck, Himes said. The homeowner had used the grill at suppertime and may have left it on or covered it too soon.

Flames climbed up the wall of the house and started into the attic, Himes said. Firefighters first at the scene found heavy fire on the porch and heavy smoke in the attic.

“It escalates pretty quickly,” Himes said. “Within a couple of minutes, we had fire conditions in the attic.”

Fire ran the length of the attic, he said. Firefighters brought it under control in 40 minutes, but hitting hot spots and extensive overhaul took more than three hours. The house was probably destroyed because of fire and water damage.

"Excellent teamwork by area fire companies saved several personal items from being lost," Franklin Fire Chief Mark Trace said.

The homeowner has insurance and declined help from the American Red Cross because she had other arrangements, Himes said.

Investigation of the fire continues, but the cause does not appear to be suspicious, Himes said.

About 12 fire companies and 40 to 50 firefighters responded to calls. Himes said there were no hydrants in the neighborhood, and water had to be shuttled to the scene in tanker trucks.

No firefighters were injured.

Jim Hook, 717-262-4759