SHENANDOAH - A fire that damaged a West Mahanoy Township home Wednesday afternoon started with a Christmas tree and has been deemed accidental.
William Penn fire Chief Al Miscannon said officials determined the fire at the 1200 W. Coal St. home started with the Christmas tree but have not isolated an exact cause.
The chief said there are two possibilities of how the fire started in the live tree.
The fire, Miscannon said, could have been caused by Christmas lights that were turned on at the time or by radiant heat due to the tree's close proximity to a coal burner.
"We do know the fire was accidental, everything points in that direction," Miscannon said.
Miscannon said left homeless were Freddie Morales, Maria Colon and three children, boys ages 14 and 8 and an 11-year-old girl.
The chief said the family had several pets, adding that most were outside but one cat died on the second floor of the home.
Colon was outside the home talking to neighbors when she heard a smoke alarm sounding, went back inside and saw the tree burning.
Miscannon said Colon tried to extinguish the fire but fled the home and called 911 after being unable to do so.
"It (the fire and smoke) was just too much for her," the chief said.
Despite a lack of manpower that affects volunteer fire companies during the daytime hours, Miscannon said crews from Shenandoah, William Penn, Shenandoah Heights and Altamont quickly contained the blaze, keeping the majority of the fire damage to one room.
"It was basically fire damage to the room with the Christmas tree and the contents by it," Miscannon said. The remainder of the home, including the upstairs and attic, sustained smoke damage.
Miscannon said no injuries were reported and that Shenandoah EMS and Shenandoah fire police assisted at the scene.