By Amanda O’Rourke
SUNBURY — An early morning fire at a vacant Packer Street house is under investigation after witnesses reported seeing someone flee the scene as flames erupted.
Fire crews were called to the 313 Packer St. home, which is owned by Allen Bubb, at about 1 a.m. Wednesday, city Fire Chief Dean Weirick said.
The home has been placarded for several years as being unfit due to a lack of running water, city Code Enforcement Officer Michael Rhoads said.
Witness reports to responding emergency personnel led Weirick to call on the services of a state police fire marshal.
“Someone saw a vehicle in front of the house, and they claim they saw someone get out and go to the front of the porch, then they left and then they saw the fire,” Weirick said.
No description was available of the person seen outside the house, the chief said, but the vehicle was described as being four-door and black.
State police Fire Marshal Norman Fedder is expected to visit the scene this morning to conduct his investigation, city Police Chief Stephen Mazzeo said.
According to Weirick, the blaze, which appeared to have started on the front porch, had been nearly extinguished by police before fire crews reached the scene, requiring only a small amount of water to extinguish the remainder of the blaze, which extended into the ceiling of the front porch.
The damage was confined to the exterior of the home, Weirick said. He did not know if Bubb was insured for the damage. A loss estimate was not available.
All six of Sunbury’s fire companies responded to the alarm. Weirick said about 35 firefighters were on the scene for about an hour. No injuries were reported.
