State Police Reading ruled a Nov. 16 garage fire in Tilden Township as accidental.
Fire crews responded to a report of a fire in a garage at a residence at Cheese Lane, Tilden Twp. at 7:02 p.m. on Nov. 16.
According to State Police, the resident called 911 from inside the garage to report the fire. Crews arrived and had no obvious signs of fire and heard the man pounding on the garage door for help. Smoke was then visible and Fire Chief Rusty Wagner from Shoemakersville Fire Company and Fire Chief Troy HATT from Hamburg Fire along with the Tilden Township Police, started to force the garage door up using pry bars, just before they were going to force the other garage door down by ramming it with a vehicle. After extricating the resident from the garage, within seconds, fire started to engulf the garage.
State Police report that the rescue effort was hampered by the loss of electricity which prevented the garage door from opening and the fact that the resident is confined to a wheel chair. The resident suffered burns on his legs and smoke inhalation. He was flown to the Lehigh Valley Burn Unit.
Damage is estimated at $100,000. Red Cross is assisting the family. A cat was successfully recovered from the residence.
State Police report that the investigation concluded that the fire ignited inside the garage due to a rag being in contact with a portable light fixture. The fire has been determined to be accidental.
The victim was rescued within seconds of the conditions in the garage being untenable.
