Pocono News Section

Fire Leaves Mother & 3 Children Homeless for the Holidays

Fire Leaves Mother & 3 Children Homeless for the Holidays - Monday, December 21, 2009 at 5:30PM EST

Reported by: Jeremy Deebel
Monday, Dec 21, 2009 @ 05:30pm EST
Shamokin, Northumberland County-

A devastating fire has left a mother and her three young children homeless just before the holidays.

The fire broke out in a home along the 100 block of North Vine Street in Shamokin around 7:00 Sunday night.

Investigators say it was an accident that could have been prevented.

Property manager Tom Gulba said, "It looks really terrible, I mean a lot of damage."

Three fire investigators surveyed the scene Monday morning.

Shamokin Patrolman Ray Siko, who also serves as a fire investigator, explained, "It appears that it may have started in the area of a home electric heating unit."

A heating unit that investigators believe tenant Michelle Wolfe accidentally left plugged in and turned on when she left the house.

Thankfully no one was inside when the home erupted in flames.

However, firefighters battled a number of challenges in putting out the blaze. Freezing temperatures turned water to ice, power lines were destroyed by flames, and neighbors had to be evacuated as a precaution.

We're told the victims, Michelle Wolfe and her three young daughters, are staying with family.

Siko noted, "Basically she described it as she lost everything from her contacts right to the babies' cribs. She stated that nothing was salvageable and she lost everything. We're going to try and make arrangements to at least get the three children gifts under a tree for Christmas this year."

Authorities are urging everyone to unplug Christmas tree lights, space heaters, and other appliances when not in use- and especially when leaving the house.

Siko added, "Absolutely. Take the extra time. I feel it's going to be very beneficial to not only you, but your family as well."

And a word of caution specifically aimed at renters.

Gulba noted, "If you don't have sufficient heat, let your landlord know so that he can take proper measures to help you out."

This is the third major fire in the Shamokin area in the past week.