SCRANTON — Michael Osborne saw light flicker through his window shades early Friday morning and soon knew it meant trouble.
Fire erupted at 221 Wheeler Ave. after 5 a.m. Friday. The flames quickly spread to Osborne’s residence right next door, 227 Wheeler Ave., and caused devastation to the Hill Section home he’s owned for 22 years.
“Flames seemed to be coming from the basement,” Osborne said. “I ran out and grabbed my daughter and wife.”
Flames consumed 221 Wheeler Ave. and quickly reduced it to rubble. Assistant Fire Chief Jim Floryshak quickly called in a second alarm once they arrived.
One firefighter fell and needed medical treatment but is expected to be OK.
Floryshak said they scanned around the perimeter of the property and discovered a lot of fire in the rear of the building and in the basement. However, it had already spread to 227 Wheeler Ave., Osborne’s home.
“We were behind the eight-ball when we got on scene,” Floryshak said.
Osborne’s neighbor smelled smoke and called 911, he said. Osborne’s family sought shelter from the cold in a house across the street.
It would be tough, but the assistant chief thought as he arrived they had a shot at saving 227 Wheeler Ave. They tried to fight the flames from the inside but the roof collapsed and forced them to pull back.
The American Red Cross provided emergency assistance for nine people displaced by the fire, spokesman Dave Skutnik said in an email. Those nine people are from two families who lived on both sides of 221 Wheeler Ave.
Osborne said he believed that 221 Wheeler Ave. was unoccupied at the time.
The property is owned by 221 Wheeler Avenue LLC, which is headquartered in East Lansdowne right outside of West Philadelphia, according to the Lackawanna County assessment database. The LLC bought it for $1,000 on Nov. 1, 2018. Purchasing documents indicate that the property had been long condemned, was on the demolition list and needed extensive repairs.
Osborne said that the new owner had been trying to fix it up.
Floryshak said that there was no natural gas hookup to the home but he could not be sure Friday morning of an electric utility connection.
The American Red Cross and its partners also provided support for roughly 50 firefighters who battled through fire and ice Friday morning.
The wind whipped and plunged temperatures. Heavy smoke reduced visibility. Spray from the fire hoses caked walkways, stairs, cars and clothing in a layer of ice. It was easy to lose your footing. Some people slipped on sidewalks.
Floryshak praised his firefighters for doing a “phenomenal” job for fighting the blaze after a long and trying shift. Firefighters from Dunmore were called in to assist the city.
Fire inspectors from the city were on scene to try and determine a cause.
Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9144; @jkohutTT on Twitter.