chuck kreiser's video: Homes Damaged By Fire on South Walnut St in Mt Carmel Pa 3 - 16 - 2015

Flames Hit Row Homes in Mount Carmel MOUNT CARMEL — Crews from three counties were called out Monday to fight a row home fire in Mount Carmel. Crews said seven homes were damaged by the fire. Three were vacant. Smoke could be seen for miles as fire crews spent more than three hours knocking down a fire in Northumberland County Monday afternoon. At least one firefighter was taken to the hospital. That injured firefighter is James Reed. He’s the fire chief for American Hose Engine One in Mount Carmel. Reed was flown by helicopter from the fire but officials say he is now conscious. Crews from Schuylkill, Columbia and Northumberland Counties got the call for a row home fire just before noon. Officials say the fire and smoke spread to seven homes on South Walnut Street in Mount Carmel, displacing at least 11 people. One of the victims tells Newswatch 16 that a Good Samaritan knocked on his door telling him there was a fire next door. He sat and watched as the fire spread and crews fought the flames now coming out of his home. “You got to move on, replace and move on, as long as nobody got hurt, except the one fireman. I hope he’s OK,” said Tony McGinley. “Smoke, a lot of smoke, eventually flames started coming out of the roof. It was horrible,” said Michelle Martinez. Jason Hollenback was doing work in the area when he saw the smoke coming out of these row homes. He and his coworker say they started knocking down doors and running inside. “We got their animals out of 217 and tried to save some photographs and special belongings out of 215,” he said. The man who was inside 215 says he and three other people who were home at the time all got out safely before the smoke and flames filled his home. “It’s never the time to see all your stuff go up in smoke, what you’ve worked for all your life.” Tony McGinley has lived on South Walnut Street for more than 20 years. He sat and watched as the fire spread and crews fought the flames now coming out of his home. Mount Carmel borough police say seven homes are damaged from the fire and 11 people are displaced. “Some of the houses were for sale or vacant, or rental houses that were being repaired to be rented.” McGinley says he has insurance but he says he lost almost everything in the fire. Officials are waiting for a fire marshal to determine the cause of the fire. Other than that firefighter, there are no other reported injuries.