Aug 29, 2018 2 min read

Smoking in bed is being blamed for a fire that destroyed a duplex in the Little Mexico section of Vestaburg in Centerville Borough early Wednesday.

Richeyville fire Chief Dave Pohill said that firefighters were called just after 1 a.m. to the duplex at 27-29 Arch St. When they arrived, the duplex was engulfed in flames.

Tina Williams, who lives on one side of the duplex, told firefighters she was smoking in bed when she fell asleep. She woke up and discovered the fire. She started yelling to her neighbor, Anthony Desenzo, to get out of their residence. He and five other occupants of that side of the duplex were able to safely escape, Pohill said.

Firefighters were hampered by sparking power lines, Pohill said. An adjacent house and car owned by Joetta Grimes, 31 Arch St., was damaged by the smoke and heat from the fire, Pohill said.

Williams was taken to Washington Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.

Assisting at the scene were firefighters from East Bethlehem Township, Denbo-Vesta 6 and California. Bentleyville firefighters were on standby.

Firefighters were on the scene until about 5 a.m. Soon after they cleared the call, firefighters were called about 6:15 a.m. to an alarm at The Century Inn, National Pike, Scenery Hill. There was no fire.