MIFFLINBURG — A fire destroyed a mobile home late Tuesday, leaving two people homeless, but unharmed.
Although everything in the home of Janet Fegley and her husband at 1333 Johnstown Road in the Pine Valley Mobile Home Park was lost, John Heiges Jr., Mifflinburg Hose Company fire chief, made a miraculous discovery in the rubble.
In searching through burned-out interior of the home, looking for the cause of the blaze, he found the residents' Christmas cash in an envelope near their television set, which had melted.
"The envelope hadn't burned," he said. "I can't say why because everything around it was charred and covered with ash. We were able to return the cash to the homeowner, Janet Fegley, and her husband."
Janet Fegley said that just before the fire broke out, at about 3:45 p.m., she went to a neighbor's home to visit.
"A few minutes later, another neighbor ran over to me and told me that my home was on fire," Fegley said. "There was nothing I could do. I don't know what started it."
Then she cried in the comforting arms of Mifflinburg's Assistant Fire Chief Steve Walter.
Scott Rebuck, the park manager, said this was the first fire he'd seen in a long time. He couldn't pinpoint the date of the most recent fire.
Heiges later said he thought the fire began behind the couch at a faulty power strip.
"The fire started quickly, and by the time we arrived, flames had already engulfed the inside of the home, " he said.
Heigis could not put a dollar figure on the damage.
Assisting at the scene were fire and rescue personnel from Mifflinburg, Lewisburg, Middleburg and Penns Creek.
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Robert Inglis / The Daily Item
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Mobile home burns, leaves two homeless
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