SCRANTON, Pa. — The fire at the double block home was put out quickly, but fire crews say it could have been much worse without help from the city's police department.
Firetrucks, firefighters, and police officers and their vehicles were packed along the 1400 block of Academy Street as well as the streets around it after a fire broke out at this three-story double blockhouse, where two families live.
A block over Thomas Meyers and his son, Tommy Jr., were cutting their grass when Tommy noticed the back of the house was on fire.
"He told me to go get the Weed Wacker string, and when I saw it, I saw black smoke coming out, and I was like dad, I think that house is on fire," said Tommy.
Both father and son then ran over to alert their neighbors.
"Knocked on the doors, we were banging, they wouldn't answer," said Tommy. "So, we had to kick open the doors and get them out. we got the neighbors out over here and here."
"We kicked out the right-side door; they were sleeping. He went in the right side," said Thomas, pointing at his son. "I went in the left side and got the people and the young kids out."
The fire department says the nine people who live here will now be finding somewhere else to stay with the help of the Red Cross.
Assistant Fire Chief Jim Floryshak said while the fire damage was enough to displace the two families, it could have been a lot worse.
Getting the trucks to the fire would have been tough since the street in West Scranton is densely packed with on-street parking.
He credits police for getting those cars moved so fire crews could park here and get to the flames shooting from the back of the first floor.
"Basically limited the fire damage to the first floor and prevented it from spreading, not only to the rest of the fire but to the adjacent house, the exposure, which is very close," said Floryshak.
One firefighter had to be taken to the hospital to be treated for an injury.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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