NATALIE - Despite the efforts of firefighters who braved cold, windy and icy conditions, a double home in the 300 block of Colonial Avenue (Route 54) was extensively damaged by an accidental stove fire early Friday afternoon, leaving a family of four homeless.
The blaze, reported to Northumberland County Communications Center at 12:24 p.m., started in the kitchen at 317 Colonial Ave. and quickly spread throughout the residence and an adjoining vacant house at 315 Colonial Ave.
Left homeless were Michelle Moser and her three children, Kyle Savitski, Ryan Moser and Miranda Moser, of 317 Colonial Ave.
They reportedly are staying with Moser's parents, Butch and Bev Repko, who live at 325 Colonial Ave.
The Moser residence sustained heavy fire, smoke and water damage. The vacant structure next door owned by Carl Schu Jr., of Hamburg, sustained mostly heavy smoke and water damage.
Natalie Fire Chief Bob Fanella Sr., who directed firefighting efforts at the scene with Mount Carmel Township Fire Marshal Brian Hollenbush, said the blaze has been ruled accidental. He said the fire started in the stove area of the kitchen.
Fanella said the Moser home is insured, but couldn't confirm if Schu had insurance.
The fire chief said no firefighters were injured despite the freezing and icy conditions.
He said a dog owned by the Moser family also was able to escape harm.
Lived in home for 10 years
According to a neighbor, Michael Pitcavage, who is a local police officer, Moser was cooking chicken when she reportedly went out onto her front porch. The stove area then reportedly caught on fire, prompting Moser's son, Ryan, to alert his mother. Pitcavage said Moser and her son, who were the only ones home at the time, were able to escape from the burning structure without injury.
Moser, whose family has lived in the home for about 10 years, was comforted by family members on her parents' porch as she watched firefighters attempt to bring the blaze under control.
When firefighters responded to the scene, they were met with flames and dense smoke shooting out windows and eaves of the three-story dwelling. They fought the blaze from the front, rear and sides and scaled rooftops to smash windows for ventilation. Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control at 1:15 p.m., but remained at the scene until approximately 3:30 p.m.
In addition to battling the blaze on the coldest day of the young year - the temperature was in the low twenties in Natalie Friday - firefighters were hampered by low-water pressure and slippery conditions that resulted from the water quickly turning to ice when it hit the highway or ground.
Firefighters set up a portable water tank a couple blocks away on Center Street so engines could fill their hoses with water and pump it to the scene.
Motorists traveling east and west on Route 54 near Natalie were met by fire police as they approached the scene and were directed to turn around. Some drivers heading west on the highway were allowed to turn onto Park Avenue (Route 2028) near the co-generation plant at Marion Heights.
The highway was reopened in both directions shortly before 3:30 p.m.
Responding to the mutual aid fire call were firefighters from Natalie, Strong, Marion Heights, Atlas, Beaverdale, Mount Carmel, Kulpmont, Wilburton, Aristes, Elysburg, Overlook, Coal Township and Shamokin, various local ambulance and emergency medical personnel, fire police and PennDOT employees.
Fanella thanked everyone who responded to the call.