SHAMOKIN - Three people were displaced after a basement fire Tuesday afternoon at 230 Coal St., Shamokin.
Deputy Chief Jason Zimmerman said Larry Palmer, Caroline Palmer and Dawn Leggins were displaced after a fire started in the basement of the house they rented from Joe and Michele Yeager, Mount Carmel.
He said the investigation into the cause continues, but the fire has been ruled accidental. Because of the blaze, the home was declared unfit for habitation by city code enforcement officials.
The Shamokin Fire Bureau, Maine Fire Company from Coal Township and the Anthracite Fire Company of Mount Carmel responded and quickly extinguished the fire.
"Everyone did an excellent job with the weather conditions and the tight street the fire was on," Zimmerman said. "It was a total team effort."
After staying below zero into mid-morning, temperatures peaked at about 7 degrees Tuesday in Shamokin.
Fire damage was kept to the basement, while the first floor sustained smoke damage and minor water damage. Windows were broken to help ventilate the smoke.
A vacant neighboring home, 228 W. Coal St., sustained minor damage when firefighters entered the structure to check if the fire had spread.
The three residents went to Geisinger-Shamokin Area Community Hospital via private vehicle for treatment of minor smoke inhalation. No firefighters were injured.