Apartment fire displaces 12

BY STACI WILSON

Twelve people were left without a place to live after fire swept through a New Milford apartment building Wednesday evening.

Dwayne Conklin, chief of Columbia Hose Company No. 1, New Milford, said the blaze started in a bedroom of one of four apartments in the Peck Hill Rd. building.

Although it sustained heavy damage, Chief Conklin said he does not believe the apartment building is a total loss.

The fire broke out at just after 7 p.m. Fire crews and emergency personnel were on the scene until about 11:30 p.m.

Tpr. Steve Kaneski of the State Police Fire Marshal Unit said the cause of the blaze is currently under investigation and more information would likely be available in a few days.

Three of four displaced families have been assisted by the Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Red Cross Program Director Tami Cortright said the displaced tenants were staying with friends and family but the chapter did provide food and clothing assistance to the three families that sought help.

Red Cross executive director Stephen McHenry as well as board member Jim Crowley were on scene and were able to assist two of the four families at that time, Ms. Cortright said.

Red Cross also provided rehab assistance for about 60 on-scene emergency personnel.

Susquehanna County 911 director Art Donato said that in addition to New Milford’s fire department, volunteer companies from Hallstead, Great Bend, Harford, Hop Bottom, Montrose, and Clifford also responded with manpower and equipment. Departments from Susquehanna and Thompson were placed on stand-by, he said.

Ambulance squads from New Milford, Great-Bend Hallstead and Susquehanna also responded to the scene.