Tricia Pursell
PENNS CREEK — Several pets died in a fire that destroyed a two-story Centerville Street home on Monday afternoon, authorities said.
“We found the dog and one cat right before we were ready to leave,” said Penns Creek Fire Chief Todd Sprenkel. “I’m pretty sure the rest of them are somewhere in there.”
“It was a lot of heat,” he added.
A neighbor, Alan Gordon, said Steve Snyder, who lived in the rented home at 304 Centerville St. with his wife, had a dog and four cats. Gordon said he called 911 when he was alerted to the fire.
Carla Sulouff, of Mifflinburg, was driving through Penns Creek when the fire began at about 12:45. Flames were shooting from where the wood-burning pipes were located on the side of the house, she said.
She got out of her car and heard someone nearby say there was a dog inside.
She said she tried to rescue the dog by entering the house through the unlocked kitchen door and opened the garage door to get inside, but was overcome by smoke and couldn’t go farther.
The cause of the fire is unknown, Sprenkel said. It appeared to have started in a large, recent addition to the home. The name of the owner was not available.
A fire marshal will investigate, Sprenkel said, adding there is no reason to believe it is suspicious.
Fire crews from Penns Creek, New Berlin, Middleburg and Mifflinburg responded to the call, and they remained on the scene until about 3. An ambulance from Penns Creek and a crew from PPL also responded.
The Snyder County Chapter of the American Red Cross was on the scene and plans to assist the couple, Sprenkel said.
