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"We had a dangerous situation," said Jason Trostle, assistant chief of Maytown-East Donegal Fire Company.
At least one propane tank exploded, but witnesses said they heard multiple explosions.
The blaze broke out at 3:30 p.m. in a home owned by Bruce and Donelle Aston at the corner of Endslow Road and Red Cedar Lane.
It took 75 firefighters, who had to battle the blaze in hot, humid conditions, about half an hour to bring it under control.
The 9-year-old son of the Astons discovered the fire after he entered the garage and smelled smoke, according to police. The son then notified his father.
All in the house — including Bruce Aston, the 9-year-old boy, his 2-year-old brother and their 16-year-old cousin — escaped unharmed.
"He's a little hero," said Patrolman David Clancy of Susquehanna Regional Police. "He's 9 years old, and he did a fantastic job. …
"Even the cat got out safely."Clancy and another officer arrived at the house and "saw flames shooting out of the garage door" followed by "multiple and continuous explosions," Clancy said.
He said police took cover behind a few nearby trees to protect themselves from the explosions. They then began evacuating four nearby homes as firefighters arrived at the scene. Neighbors were permitted back in their homes shortly after 5 p.m.
Trostle said no firefighters were injured. He said he could confirm that at least one propane tank exploded.
Firefighters remained at the scene until shortly after 8 p.m.
Tim Reed, a neighbor who lives next to the house that burned, said he was outside when the fire started.
"I … saw the garage had started to smoke," he said. "I looked in at the garage quick and thought, 'It's not that big.' I went to my house and quickly grabbed the garden hose. As I grabbed it, my wife was telling me that the flames were going through the roof.
"Soon after, you could hear all kinds of bottles exploding. … There was a welding torch that blew up, that was a big one."
Reed said the Astons are staying with family members.
(745) (321) (34) (2)The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A state fire marshal is helping with the investigation.
E-mail: dpidgeon@lnpnews.com
E-mail: stephweaver@lnpnews.com
