CECIL TOWNSHIP, Pa. — A townhome in Cecil Township, Washington County erupted in flames just before 4:00 Wednesday afternoon along Old Farm Road in the Georgetown Estates development.
The fire started in a garage and quickly spread to homes on either side, said Cecil Township Fire Chief Noel McMullen.
PHOTOS: At least 4 townhouses catch fire in Cecil Township
“Fire travels quickly and thank goodness no residents or firefighters were injured today,” McMullen said.
According to McMullen, six townhomes suffered damage. Four are destroyed.
But the outcome could have been much worse if it hadn’t been for neighbor Ed Kramer.
“I was having a cigar and I’m like, ‘That’s not my cigar that smells,’ and I looked up and I saw black smoke,” Kramer said.
Kramer jumped into action from a few blocks away and helped rescue multiple people, including a hearing-impaired elderly woman.
“It just kind of all of a sudden hit me like, ‘Oh my God that lady’s deaf in there. She doesn’t know what’s going on,’ and she didn’t, so we got her out,” Kramer said. “God just put me in the right place at the right time and I’m glad to do it.”
Chief McMullen explained popping noises reported by neighbors was likely ammunition going off inside a smoldering home.
As his firefighters worked for multiple hours, McMullen noted the temperature posed an additional challenge.
“The heat did play a role,” McMullen said. “I don’t know what the temperature is, but our firefighters were overcome fairly quick just from the heat today.”
The cause of this fire is still under investigation by the State Police Fire Marshal.
Some neighbors started a GoFundMe to help the families impacted by the fire. Click here to donate.
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