Pocono News Section

Fire Ravages 410 Main Street in Dupont

Fire Ravages 410 Main Street in Dupont - Saturday, June 21, 2008 at 2:30PM EST

Reported by: Jill Konopka
Saturday, Jun 21, 2008 @ 02:30pm EST
(Dupont, Luzerne county)

It's a phone call nobody wants to make or receive. A family in Dupont away on vacation learns a fire left major damage to their newly remodeled home and business they rented out.

It happened earlier this morning and the flames spread to the apartment building right next door.

Eyewitness News Reporter Jill Konopka has reaction from neighbors. Maryann Lentz told Eyewitness News, “I couldn't believe it. I could not believe it. It was an inferno."

Carolyn Rydzy can't believe what her neighbors have to come home to. Rydzy spoke with WBRE, "You don't wish this on anybody. It's worse when they come back and find they don't have a home."

She says the Defazio family left for vacation Friday. Hours later flames ripped through their second story Main Street home and destroyed a restaurant they rented out called "Biscotto's."

John Glowatch told Eyewitness News, "It was popular. There were a lot of people there and the food was good. I ate there once or twice, but not really a lot, they have good food." Maryann Lentz lives right next door, "They were doing really really well. Their food was really really good. I feel so sorry for them."

Officials believe the two alarm fire started in the rear basement of the building. It took 50 firefighters, three hours to take control. Passersby stopped and stared. The flames then jumped to the building next door. There are seven apartments here, the owner says three of them were damaged by fire."

Rydzy added, "The roof caught on fire and a couple apartments got damage, fire damage. There's a hole in the roof and the windows knocked out, so can get all over the roof and everything.

Carolyn Rydzy is happy her husband installed steel siding. Rydzy told WBRE,"Otherwise this whole block would've went. It was so close.))" Her building lost power, forcing tenants out temporarily.

Maryann Lentz in one of them. Lentz added, "I hear this banging on the door and I jumped out of bed and couldn't figure out what it was. So I went to the bedroom and going back to bed, next thing you know I got police and firemen at both doors."

A State Police Fire Marshall will be back on the scene Monday to determine an exact cause. So far, it appears to be accidental.