Family displaced as fire damages North Wales home - North Penn ...

Firefighters respond to a house fire at 333 Washington Ave. in North Wales Friday afternoon. Photo submitted by R.S. Wilmot

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Three residents were displaced and a home was heavily damaged after a blaze broke out around 2 p.m. Friday on the 300 block of Washington Avenue in North Wales.

?The neighbors heard something popping, and ran out and saw the side of the house on fire. We don?t know, we?re still investigating if that popping was the cause or one of the effects of the fire,? said Chris Park, Chief of the North Penn Fire Company.

That company and several others battled the fire for roughly an hour before bringing it under control, but not before much of the home?s second floor and first-floor roof were charred by the fire.

The cause is still under investigation, but PECO crews were on scene and cut utility lines to the house as firefighters took turns entering the house and dousing flames visible on the wooden eaves of the house.

Park said all three residents were unhurt and staying with friends and family, but declined to identify the victims further. No information was available Friday afternoon about any pets that may have lived in the house.

Montgomery County property records identify the property owners as Lambert and Claire Liebel, and family members at the scene said Claire, her son and daughter-in-law were inside and escaped the fire.

?There?s heavy exterior damage from fire, smoke and the water. We?re going to be out here for at least several more hours, just making sure everything?s completely out,? Park said.

Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale deployed an inflatable heated tent at the scene for emergency responders to stay warm, and Park said as of 4 p.m. Friday, firefighters were using it to warm up but none had been hurt while fighting the fire.

Jayne Blackledge, Director of the nearby North Wales Area Library, said that facility had its doors open for victims and emergency responders to come inside and warm up, and several had done so as snow fell on the fire scene.

?We have a microwave, we have restrooms, it?s a good place to come in and warm up. That?s what libraries are for,? she said.

Three residents were displaced and a home was heavily damaged after a blaze broke out around 2 p.m. Friday on the 300 block of Washington Avenue in North Wales.

?The neighbors heard something popping, and ran out and saw the side of the house on fire. We don?t know, we?re still investigating if that popping was the cause or one of the effects of the fire,? said Chris Park, Chief of the North Penn Fire Company.

That company and several others battled the fire for roughly an hour before bringing it under control, but not before much of the home?s second floor and first-floor roof were charred by the fire.

The cause is still under investigation, but PECO crews were on scene and cut utility lines to the house as firefighters took turns entering the house and dousing flames visible on the wooden eaves of the house.

Park said all three residents were unhurt and staying with friends and family, but declined to identify the victims further. No information was available Friday afternoon about any pets that may have lived in the house.

Montgomery County property records identify the property owners as Lambert and Claire Liebel, and family members at the scene said Claire, her son and daughter-in-law were inside and escaped the fire.

?There?s heavy exterior damage from fire, smoke and the water. We?re going to be out here for at least several more hours, just making sure everything?s completely out,? Park said.

Volunteer Medical Service Corps of Lansdale deployed an inflatable heated tent at the scene for emergency responders to stay warm, and Park said as of 4 p.m. Friday, firefighters were using it to warm up but none had been hurt while fighting the fire.

Jayne Blackledge, Director of the nearby North Wales Area Library, said that facility had its doors open for victims and emergency responders to come inside and warm up, and several had done so as snow fell on the fire scene.

?We have a microwave, we have restrooms, it?s a good place to come in and warm up. That?s what libraries are for,? she said.

Source: http://www.montgomerynews.com/articles/2013/01/27/north_penn_life/news/doc5103ded39d09f517205915.txt

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