TWO FAMILIES LEFT HOMELESS, TWO HOMES DESTROYED FOLLOWING FASTING-MOVING BLAZE IN MARY D

Seven people, including 2 children, were left homeless after a fast-moving fire claimed two homes on Sunny Lane in MaryD this evening (Sunday, December 7, 2014).
Emergency personnel were called around 5:45 PM to duplex home at 173 and 174 Sunny Lane for a working structure fire.
Responding quickly, firefighters arrived to see the property fully engulfed. It two about two hours for responders, working in below-freezing temperatures, to extinguish the fire and hidden hotspots.
Sadly, both properties were destroyed.
Displaced from 173 Sunny Lane are Jeremy Denning, Jody Denning, 5-year-old boy, 8-year-old girl and their 81-year old grandmother. They are staying with friends and family.
Displaced from 174 Sunny Lane are Pete and Ida Kutash. They are currently staying with a neighbor across the street.
The Tamaqua Volunteers group also acquired and dropped off rock salt donations for the firefighters, who could be seen sliding on the ice-covered ground.
Responding were Mary D Fire Company, Tuscarora Fire Company, Brockton Fire Company, New England/Walker Township Fire Company, Tamaqua fire companies, Coaldale Fire Company, Port Carbon Fire Company, Yorkville Fire Company, Hometown Fire Company, New Ringgold Fire Company, Kaska Fire Company, Pottsville Fire Company, Tamaqua Rescue Squad, Tamaqua Ambulance and others.
Firefighters were still on scene as of 11:15 PM tonight.
Members of the Tamaqua Salvation Army and Schuylkill American Red Cross offered assistance to the families. Members of the Tamaqua Volunteers group and Tamaqua Salvation Army worked to provide warm refreshments and warm food to responders. Appreciations to Burger King in Tamaqua for donating hamburgers and chicken sandwiches, Turkey Hill in Tamaqua for donating hot coffee and condiments, McDonalds in Hometown for donating hamburgers, Valerie Klingaman, Ray Sell and another unidentified person for donating rock salt, John Suzadail for his donated wheel chair, Brandon Scull and others for helping serve hot chocolate, Ziegler’s Auto Repair and Towing, neighbor Christine Verdier, Schuylkill Township officials, Tamaqua Salvation Army volunteers Frank and Lorraine Durning, and others.
Area fire police detoured traffic away from the area during the response.
There is no cause of the fire as of late Sunday night.

Donate any amount ($5 and up) via the “7 Mary D Fire Victims” GoFundMe account at http://www.gofundme.com/7MaryDFireVictims. This is organized via the Tamaqua Volunteers group. FMI: (570) 668-1234.

Click HERE to view ALL ways to help both families.

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