Pocono News Section

Couple Homeless After Wyoming Co. Fire

Couple Homeless After Wyoming Co. Fire - Saturday, August 2, 2008 at 6:45PM EST

Reported by: Jill Konopka
Saturday, Aug 2, 2008 @ 06:45pm EST
MESHOPPEN, WYOMING COUNTY- 23-year-old Jennifer Coats is 8 months pregnant with her third child. But instead of relaxing, she's now dealing with a devastating fire at her West Avenue home.

Jennifer and her husband Jeremiah, a Meshoppen firefighter, were sound asleep Friday afternoon when flames broke out in the couple's living room. Fire Chief Bob Carney said, "It was tough yesterday, when it's one of your own, we help everyone but it's special, difficult when it's one of your own."

After false labor that morning, Jennifer woke up to the fire alarm. She then rushed downstairs to find her husband sleeping on the sofa, just a few feet from the flames. Neighbor John Mortimer said, "He must be a sound sleeper because he didn't get up. She ran over and grabbed him and shook him hard and he finally woke up and realized what was going on and they ran out the back of the house."

Chief Carney says the fire didn't have to happen. A State Police Fire Marshal ruled it started on a love seat in the living room from careless smoking. The couple lost everything, forced to start from scratch.

"They don't have renter’s insurance. They were taking pride in front of the house, for people coming by, painted the front of the house, screened in porch and put new carpets in," said Mortimer.

Chief Carney added, "They have a new baby on the way and lost everything."

Firefighters say they'll set up a fund to help the family get through this tough time.