A pregnant woman, her husband and their three children are displaced after a fire heavily damaged their home last night (Tuesday, May 27, 2014) at 254 East Abbott Street in Lansford.
Emergency personnel from both Carbon and Schuylkill County were dispatched around 11:40 PM after Lansford Police, who were in the area on a separate incident, said someone came running out of their home screaming that their home was on fire. They added that flames could be seen shooting out a back section of the home.
Police said that everyone was out of the home, except for the father Joseph Collins, who Police said went back into the building after thinking his pregnant wife, Stephanie, ran back.
Witness Mariah Lewis, who was dropping off her friend (Nikki Lynn) at the time, said that officer Joshua Tom could be seen using a neighbor’s garden hose to slow down the fire, while officer Shawn Nunemacher carried Joseph to an ambulance.
Lewis and Lynn added that all the emergency responders did an excellent job helping the victims and stopping the blaze from spreading to adjacent properties.
Lansford resident Gerald Steigerwalt told WNEP reporter that a fire occurred at the duplex home on Christmas Day about six years ago; although this information isn’t confirmed.
Responding were firefighters from Lansford, Summit Hill, Coaldale, Nesquehoning and Jim Thorpe. Also responding were Lehighton Ambulance and area fire police.
The family is being assisted by the American Red Cross.
Joe Cannon, 2nd Assistant Chief, Lansford Fire Company, said the fire was contained to 254 East Abbott Street. Firefighters added that the adjacent property at 256 East Abbott Street also suffered smoke damage.
The cause of the fire was blamed on a cooking accident.
This was the second house fire in Lansford in less than a week. Last Wednesday, a couple and their pets were displaced by a fire on West Snyder Avenue.

Keep check this story for updates on how to help the family.