Fire damages West Newton house, rekindles Monday morning

A fire that gutted a West Newton house late Sunday rekindled Monday morning, requiring firefighters from multiple departments to respond to the scene.

Richard Smith and his son escaped the fire on Mallard Streetat without injury Sunday, but a pet dog died in the blaze, West Newton Fire Chief Craig Sanner said.

A state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, which was reported at 9:50 p.m. Sunday, Sanner said.

It appeared that the fire started on the left side of the wood-framed house, based on the damage to the structure, Sanner said. A pickup truck parked on that side of the house was destroyed in the fire and the heat was so intense that it melted the vinyl siding on the adjacent home on Mallard Street.

A neighbor, Laura Bryner of 402 Mallard St., said she heard what she thought were popping sounds late Sunday, then heard the fire trucks arriving.

“I looked out (of the window) and it was fully on fire,” Bryner said.

Firefighters were on the scene for several hours Sunday night into Monday morning, then returned around 5:15 a.m. when the fire rekindled. Fire was inside the upper level of the two-story structure and firefighters had to use chainsaws Monday to cut through the wood to extinguish the blaze, Sanner said.

West Newton firefighters were assisted by units from Turkeytown, Collinsburg, Webster, Sutersville, Lowber and Elizabeth Township.

The American Red Cross is assisting the family, Sanner said.