By Jennifer Todd
The Intelligencer Journal/New Era
LANCASTER, Pa. — More than 100 firefighters battled a Monday evening house fire in Paradise that sent a woman and two children to the hospital.
The woman suffered burns and possible smoke inhalation and her two young children were being treated as a precaution, Paradise fire Chief Drew Wenger said. Their identities were not available Monday night.
Wenger said the fire started in the rear of the first floor of the two-story home at 3074 Lincoln Highway East, just west of Singer Avenue.
The blaze, which was reported at about 6:25 p.m., was still under investigation late Monday. A loss estimate was not available, but the home appeared to have sustained considerable damage.
Neighbors Shawn Evans and Dustin Nissley were cooking out in the backyard with friends when they noticed smoke coming from the home.
The two men, along with friend Jason Reese, ran toward the house to make sure everyone had gotten out.
“I knew they were home because one of the kids was out in the yard playing just a little while ago,” Evans said.
The men discovered that the residents had already evacuated the house, but the mother then ran back inside, they said.
As firefighters began arriving at the scene, the three went around to the front door and tried to get inside but were knocked back by the smoke, Reese said.
“Then we saw (the mother) at the side of the house — I guess she went out the back or something,” Nissley said. “Just as we got to her, she collapsed, and we helped her to the road.”
Thirteen fire companies responded to the blaze, Wenger said. Route 30 East was shut down from Ronks Road to Singer Avenue for several hours Monday night.
Copyright 2010 Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.