Fire destroys family’s house

A family lost their home Wednesday night to a second alarm fire.

The blaze at 198 Park Road in Howard Township caused the house to be a total loss, according to Howard Fire Company President Mark Ott.

The fire began at about 11:20 p.m., and crews were on the scene in about five minutes. The house was fully involved in flames upon the firefighters’ arrival, and they immediately needed back-up. Several more fire companies — Walker, Citizen’s, Snow Shoe, Pleasant Gap, Undine and Port Matida, Nittany Valley, Miles, Beech Creek and Lock Haven — were dispatched to the scene at about 11:30 p.m.

A couple was inside the house at the time of the fire, according to Ott, who said they were in bed when the husband heard a pop and saw flames. They crawled under heavy smoke to escape and led two dogs out. Two cats died in the fire.

“It was so quick, just really amazing how fast this thing went,” Ott said. “We could see the glow for miles around.”

The fire was under control by about 1 a.m., Ott said. The fire originated in the garage, but a fire marshal has not determined the cause.

Howard Fire Company plans to hold a fundraiser for the family in February.

This story was originally published February 1, 2018 at 1:21 PM with the headline "Fire destroys family’s house."