WEST CAMERON TOWNSHIP - A family is homeless after their rented home was reduced to rubble Monday evening.
No one was home when fire broke out at 158 Heintzelman Road, located just off Lower Road, which runs west to east between Hunter's Station and Upper Road at Point Breeze.
East Cameron Assistant Fire Chief George Kerstetter said the house was fully involved with flames when he arrived five minutes after Northumberland County Communications Center dispatched units at 7:02 p.m.
The house, owned by Andy Hayes, was completely destroyed. The names of the renters could not be confirmed, however, three children, including a baby, lived in the home.
Before firefighters arrived, Jimmy Williams was pulling into the driveway to visit his 15-year-old girlfriend, who had not yet arrived home, when he noticed smoke. Williams and his friend, Josh Maloney, immediately entered the house to search for people.
"I started yelling names as I worked my way to the basement steps," Williams said. "I started down to the basement, but the walls were hot to the touch."
Williams and Maloney retreated, but managed to save a dog before leaving. They re-enetred the house by crawling through a basement door, but were turned back by heavy smoke and fire. Firefighters arrived soon after.
Suppression efforts were initially hampered by a water supply issue and access to the scene, which is located on a one-lane dirt road. Only a few fire engines were able to directly access the scene. The rest were parked on Lower Road.
A cause of the fire is still under investigation, Kerstetter said.