Quick action by firefighters prevents garage fire from spreading to terraced house

: A section of Marydale Avenue was closed to firefighters after more than 500 feet of fire hose was stretched along the street. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

: Firefighters work to extinguish a garage fire on Doris Avenue in Old Lycoming Township Monday afternoon. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

: Firefighters work to extinguish a garage fire on Doris Avenue in Old Lycoming Township Monday afternoon. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

Firefighters work to extinguish a garage fire on Doris Avenue in Old Lycoming Township Monday afternoon. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

According to Joe Hope, deputy chief of the Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Department, the family’s barking dog alerted the teenage son Monday afternoon to the fire that broke out in the garage adjacent to the home of Scott and Cindy Tempesco at 1500 Doris Ave.

The son, dog and bird were all safely out of the house when the fire was discovered about 12:35 p.m., Hope said. No one else was home at the time.

“The dog was barking like crazy. When my son looked out the front door to see if anyone was coming, he saw smoke coming out from under the garage door.” Hope said. After further examination, the son went to the inner door and saw “orange flames” in the back of the garage,” Hope said, adding that her son immediately called 911.

“When I arrived, there was dark smoke coming from the garage” said Hope, the first firefighter to arrive on the scene.

In addition to the city fire truck assigned to the Dewey Avenue Fire Station, fire trucks from DuBoistown and Montoursville responded to the scene, and the fire was brought under control within 15 minutes.

Firefighters work to extinguish a garage fire on Doris Avenue in Old Lycoming Township Monday afternoon. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

There were no reports of injuries. The fire is believed to have started in the rear of the garage, and the cause was likely electrical, Hope said.

Damage was estimated at about $25,000, he said. Although the home sustained minor smoke damage, the family of four from Tempesco was not displaced, Hope added. Exhaust fans were used to remove smoke from the home.

An SUV parked in the garage was damaged when burning material fell to the floor, Hope said.

A section of Marydale Avenue was closed to firefighters after more than 500 feet of fire hose was stretched along the street. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

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