Staff writer
chriscam@observer-reporter.com
When Larry Lewis' dog scratched at the back door the same time Lewis heard a bang, he assumed it was a thunderstorm.
Instead, the house next door was on fire.
Attempts to cook a post-Thanksgiving dinner Monday led to unfortunate results as the home of Mack Matthews was gutted by flames.
According to city fire Chief Linn Brookman, Matthews was about to cook a turkey in a deep fryer on the back porch of his house when the grease apparently overheated and caught fire.
Brookman said the explosion blew the fryer's propane tank 200 feet into the back yard.
Flames quickly spread to the porch roof and up the back of the house.
A woman who also lives at the home in the 1200 block of Wilna Street declined to give her name to Brookman. Two young children live at the home as well. Matthews apparently rents the home.
Lewis' five-year-old beagle, Rusty, is afraid of lightning so Lewis interpreted the canine's sudden desire to get back in the house with a storm. But then he noticed the bright light was constant.
"I looked out and saw everything was red," he said prior to calling 911. "The whole back of the home was flaming."
The interior of the home was gutted by the blaze with the exception of a front bedroom. Police were called to examine that room when firefighters found a suspicious substance. City police Lt. Joseph Janflone would not elaborate except to say "we found some things that were interesting, and we're going to have them tested."
State police fire marshal Sean Jones, called to the scene by Brookman, ruled the fire accidental. Brookman said when people use a turkey deep fryer they should place it away from their home or covered area and away from a vehicle.
In addition to city firefighters from the Central and Tylerdale stations, the rapid intervention team from Peters Township was at the scene.