All escape injury in Marion Township house fire
MARION TWP — Both of the residents of a home on West Sunbury Road escaped injury after a fire that gutted the building on Thursday afternoon, April 24.
The fire drew more than a dozen departments from three different counties, with the Marion Township Volunteer Fire Department taking the lead.
The fire was first reported just prior to 5 p.m. Thursday, when according to multiple eyewitnesses, thick black smoke was pouring out of the building.
“It was called in by a passerby. When we got here there was heavy black smoke from the upstairs of the building,” said Patrick Martino, chief of the Marion Township Volunteer Fire Department.
“We walked down here and the whole front of the house was fully engulfed in flames,” said neighbor Brian Sproul. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a house fire.”
Fortuitously, the home was located just blocks away from the Marion Township fire department’s barracks on West Sunbury Road.
According to Martino, the fire was declared under control roughly an hour after emergency crews arrived. Martino says that the family also had multiple dogs, and none of them were seriously hurt in the fire either.
Also called to the scene were Marion Twp. Volunteer Fire Company, Eau Claire Volunteer Fire Department, North Washinton Volunteer Fire Department, Harrisville Volunteer Fire Company, Slippery Rock Volunteer Fire Company, Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department, Bruin Volunteer Fire Department, Unionville Volunteer Fire Company, Clintonville Volunteer Fire Department, Springfield Township Fire Department, Pine Township Volunteer Fire Company, Grove City Volunteer Fire Department, Parker City Volunteer Fire Department and Superior Ambulance Service
According to Martino, the Red Cross was called to assist the family with living arrangements.
