A Derry Township house was damaged by a fire Saturday morning caused by frayed lamp wire in a second-story bedroom, a fire official said.
A quick response by the homeowner and firefighters kept the fire at 332 Edward St. from spreading beyond the bedroom, which sustained between $5,000 and $10,000 in fire, smoke and water damage, said Bradenville Fire Chief Mark Piantine. The fire was reported at 11:47 a.m., and firefighters were on the scene for more than 90 minutes.
Piantine credited the homeowner, Wallace “Wally” Zeunges, with using a garden hose to keep the fire from spreading.
“He did a good job keeping it to the bedroom,” Piantine said.
Zeunges said he had just returned home Saturday morning from shopping for plants when he discovered smoke filling his house and his son sleeping on a first-floor couch. The fire started in his daughter's bedroom while she was at work, Zeunges said.
“If we had not come home, who knows what would have happened,” Zeunges said.
Zeunges said he encountered thick smoke as he walked upstairs. He did not open the door leading to the bedroom fire.
“I could feel the heat halfway up the steps,” Zeunges said as he watched firefighters remove burned items from the bedroom.
No one was injured in the fire. The family's four dogs and a cat escaped injury as well.
Because the fire was limited to an upstairs bedroom, Piantine told the family they could remain in the house.
Bradenville firefighters were assisted at the scene by units from Derry Borough, Latrobe, Youngstown and Crabtree.
Joe Napsha is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.
