SHAMOKIN - An accidental fire at 146 S. Pearl St. Saturday morning caused minor damage to the back porch and filled the house with smoke.
Shamokin Patrolman and fire investigator Raymond Siko II said a garbage bag on the back porch of the residence caught fire shortly after 9:30 a.m. Siko said Delvin Williams, one of the inhabitants of the home, used a fire extinguisher while a 15-year-old boy inside the home threw water on the fire in attempts to douse it, but were unsuccessful.
The patrolman said members of Shamokin Fire Bureau quickly responded to the call and extinguished the fire.
Siko said he did not know for sure what caused the garbage bag to catch fire.
The officer said the home, which is owned by Thomas Griffiths, of Winchester, Va., sustained minor fire damage to its back porch. He said the home was filled with smoke as a result of the fire.
Assisting Siko and firefighters at the scene were Shamokin Patrolman William Miner, Special Officer 2 Norman Lukoskie, AREA Services Ambulance, fire police, Deputy Fire Chief Jason Zimmerman, Battalion Fire Chief Bruce Rogers and Public Safety Director R. Craig Rhoades.
Police and firefighters remained at the scene for approximately 30 minutes.