3-alarm fire hospitalizes Pa. firefighter

By Lauren Whetzel
The York Dispatch

YORK CITY, Pa. — A three-alarm fire in York City left two homes destroyed and one family displaced Sunday afternoon.

Shortly after 2:30 p.m., several fire companies responded to a blaze that started in a vacant house, 500 N. Beaver St., then spread to the 502 N. Beaver St. unit, where Zulimar Morales and her six children lived.

"I was on the first floor watching TV when my neighbor came and knocked on the door and said she saw smoke," Morales said. "I got my (six) kids and pets together and immediately ran outside ... the important things in my life."

The fire started in the walls of the vacant home then spread to the third floor of Morales' home, York City Fire Chief Steve Buffington said.

The fire went to three alarms because of the heat, Buffington said.

Although Buffington was uncertain at the scene as to how many companies were on call at the fire, he said (the fire) brought in many crews "from as far as New Freedom," to rotate firefighters into the units so "they didn't get beat up from the heat."

At 4:20 p.m., Buffington said, the fire was declared under control, but Sunday's hot weather took a toll on the firefighters.

One York City firefighter was taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion, while three or four others from companies at the fire were being evaluated at the scene, he said.

The Red Cross of York-Adams showed up at the scene to provide water for the firefighters, as well as make arrangements for the Morales family.

Morales lived in her home on North Beaver for three years, and said she's never had a problem with electrical work or "anything of that nature."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and there is no damage estimate yet, Buffington said.

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