Fire destroys home near Wrightsville
By LYDIA COTTRELL lcottrell@timesobserver.comArticle Photos
A family was left homeless after fire tore through their Freehold Township home early Wednesday.
Firefighters from the Wrightsville Volunteer Fire Department were called out at approximately 7:08 a.m. to the Cann residence at 575 King Hill Road.
According to Wrightsville Fire Chief Steve Coons, heavy smoke was coming from the structure when the first responders arrived.
The home owner, Thomas Cann indicated that his adult son was home, asleep, when smoke detectors alerted him.
As fire spread through the house, high winds hampered the effort.
"We had 50-mile-per-hour winds. It spread the fire pretty rapidly," Coons said.
In addition to the effect of the winds, firewood stacked in the basement of the structure posed a challenge for the firefighters.
"Being in the basement, it made it hard to extinguish," Coons explained.
Cann was not home when the fire broke out and arrived on the scene shortly before 8 a.m.
"It was fully involved when I got here," he said.
It took fire crews about one hour to get the flames under control. Fire crews were at the scene until about 12:30 p.m.
Coons said a Garland firefighter suffered a rib injury at the scene and was transported to Corry Memorial Hospital where he was later released.
Cann said his son was able to get the family dog out of the burning structure. However, the family did lose three cats.
Despite the immense loss, Cann was positive and said, "We're definitely rebuilding. We've lived out here for...27 years."
The Cann was offered assistance at the scene by Joe Ulrich of the Warren County Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Cann said the family did have insurance on the structure.
Wrightsville firefighters were aided at the scene by volunteers from Bear Lake, Columbus, Garland, Youngsville, Sugar Grove, Lander and Elgin fire departments. Corry Ambulance and Panama, N.Y., fire personnel were also on scene.
Cann indicated that Freehold Township personnel were also helpful during the emergency by immediately providing anti-skid on King Hill Road.
