Heater blamed for fire

March 20, 2008 06:20 am

— SHAMOKIN -- An overheated baseboard heating unit was the probable cause of the Tuesday afternoon fire that heavily damaged a row house.
Battalion Chief Robert Wolfe, of the Shamokin Fire Bureau, said the 12:18 p.m. blaze started at the rear of S. 303 Harrison St. Fire crews from Shamokin, Coal Township, Kulpmont, and Mount Carmel worked for an hour to contain the blaze.
The house was owned by the Shamokin Housing Authority, which had insurance on the property, Wolfe said. The house was occupied by Brenda Schweitzer, 40, and her 12-year old son. They were moved into a vacant unit nearby.
The six-unit row of houses is one of several owned by the authority and is on the site of the former Fuhrman and Schmidt Brewery. The end unit in the row sustained smoke damage, Wolfe said, while a vacant unit next to 303 S. Harrison sustained smoke and water damage in addition to some heat damage to its vinyl siding.