Two Kids, Two Adults Rescued From Pa. House Fire

April 30--HANOVER TWP. -- Two township police officers helped rescue two children and two adults when a fire on a rear porch of an apartment building prevented an easy escape early Tuesday morning.

Firefighters responded to the six-unit apartment building at 48-50 Diamond St. at about 3:30 a.m.

Fire Chief Jeff Tudgay said the rear steps and porch to a second-floor apartment on the 48 side prevented the two adults and children from escaping.

He said two police officers entered the other second-floor apartment and kicked down a lattice wall on the front porch.

Police Sgt. Robert Orzechowski and Patrolman Don Mantush are credited with rescuing the four people.

"As we were arriving, the police officers had gone up to the other apartment, knocked down a lattice wall and grabbed two kids and two adults and got them out," Tudgay said.

He said the children don't reside at the apartment and were sleeping over.

No injuries were reported.

Tudgay said five tenants were displaced from the apartment building.

Firefighters from Ashley, Kingston, Nanticoke, Plymouth and Sugar Notch assisted at the second-alarm blaze.

Sans Souci Parkway in the area of Willow Street was closed for about one hour due to fire apparatus vehicles and ambulances in the area.

Tudgay said the majority of the building sustained smoke and water damage while the rear porch of the second-floor apartment and just inside the doorway had fire damage.

State police deputy fire marshal Trooper Ron Jarocha is investigating the cause of the blaze.

Copyright 2014 - The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.