A firefighter called to put out a fire at a house in Pennsylvania realized that the place of intervention is actually his house. He fears that 10 of his relatives died in the fire.
Harold Baker told the Citizens’ Voice newspaper that 10 victims in his family were expected to be found dead in the Pennsylvania house fire: his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives, according to Sky News.
The fire that broke out at the house in the town of Nescopeck was announced on Friday, around 2:30 a.m., after neighbors heard a loud explosion.
The drama of putting out a fire at your own home
Three victims have been found so far, and authorities say about seven others are still missing.
Harold Baker said there were 14 people living in the house, and one of them was out delivering newspapers at the time.
The initial call to emergency services was to a neighboring property, but Baker realized it was his family’s residence as the fire engine approached.
The story is shocking!
“When I turned the corner here on Dewey (Street), I knew right away which house it was just by looking down the street,” he stated.
“I was on the first car, and when I stopped, the whole house was completely engulfed. We tried to enter them”.
Baker was relieved of his duties because of his relationship with the victims.
Neighbors said they saw their front porch engulfed in flames after hearing the sound of the explosion. Some said they also heard a young man screaming outside the house: “They’re all dead.”
A criminal investigation is underway, police said, and officers are interviewing survivors.