Quick action by the fire brigade prevents a garage fire from spreading to a house | News, Sports, Jobs

Firefighters try to extinguish a garage fire on Doris Avenue in Old Lycoming Township on Monday afternoon. PHILIP HOLMES/Sun-Gazette

According to Joe Hope, assistant chief of the Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Department, it was the family’s barking dog that alerted a teenage son to a fire in the garage attached to the home of Scott and Cindy Tempesco at 1500 Doris Avenue on Monday afternoon.

The son, dog and a bird were all able to get outside safely when the fire was discovered around 12:35 p.m., Hope said. No one else was home at the time.

“The dog was barking like crazy. When the son looked out the front door to see if anyone was coming, he saw smoke coming out from under a garage door,” Said Hope.

When the son investigated further, he went to an interior door and saw “orange flames” at the back of the garage, Hope said, adding that the son immediately called 911.

“When I arrived, dark smoke was pouring out of the garage,” “said Hope, the first firefighter on the scene.”

In addition to the city fire engine assigned to the township fire station on Dewey Avenue, fire engines from the township, DuBoistown and Montoursville responded to the fire, which was brought under control within 15 minutes.

There were no reports of injuries.

The fire is believed to have started at the rear of the garage and the cause was likely electrical, Hope said.

Damage is estimated at about $25,000, he said. Although there was minor smoke damage in the house, the Tempesco family of four was not left homeless, Hope added. Exhaust fans were used to remove smoke from the house.

An SUV in the garage was damaged by burning material that fell to the garage floor, Hope said.