SUNBURY - Quick work by firefighters limited damage to the second floor of a half-double home on South 10th Street after a fire was reported there Wednesday afternoon.
Emergency crews were called to 316 S. 10th St. at 1:19 p.m., approximately one-half block away from Shikellamy High School. Sunbury Fire Chief Mike Rhoads said flames were visible when crews arrived.
"There was heavy fire in the rear bedroom and smoky conditions through the second floor of the home," Rhoads said at the scene.
Within 10 minutes though, firefighters had the blaze under control.
"They did a fabulous job today," Rhoads said.
The fire was accidental and is believed to have been caused by a cell phone charger wire shorting out and catching fire because it was pinched between a box spring and the floor.
The home is owned by Robert Kieffer, of Port Trevorton, and occupied by renters Gary Pushline and Jamie Schwartz. Rhoads said the two renters are being helped by the American Red Cross.
The other half of the double home, which is occupied, suffered no damage. The names of the people who live in that home were not supplied by police.
"The crews did a great job in containing the damage to just the first and second floors," Rhoads said.
Working at the scene were firefighters from all Sunbury fire departments and Upper Augusta Township fire companies and volunteers from Americus Ambulance.
The scene was cleared at approximately 2:30 p.m.
It marked the third fire in that four-block area of Sunbury in the last two weeks. A fire at 1005 Penn Ave. March 12 took the life of Keith "Bo" Bordner, 53. A faulty power cord was the cause of the fatal fire.
Fire broke out again just 30 hours later in the early morning hours of March 14 in the other half of the double home, this time damaging the home of Kriss Berry and his wife, at 1003 Penn Ave. The cause of that fire was undetermined because the damage was so extensive.