Fire near Rote destroys garage
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Photo provided by Abby Bradley
Flames are seen coming from the garage.
Just before five on Saturday evening the call went out to local fire companies to respond to a fully involved structure fire at 1708 East End Mountain Road, near Rote, the home of Terry “Tag” and Esther Barner.
“We are just so glad that no people or animals were hurt,” said Abby Bradley, niece of the Barners. “My Aunt and Uncle weren’t home -- they were with my grandparents who live across the road, at a Veteran’s dinner down at the Rote United Methodist Church.”
“When they heard about the fire, my Aunt stayed down at the church with my grandparents, surrounded by friends, but my Uncle came up. We can’t figure out what would’ve started it,” she said as she watched the fire fighters pull down the structure piece by piece with long hooks. “My daughter’s T-Ball coach was actually the one who called it in. He told me he was driving by and saw smoke and fire,” she explained. “The fire companies sure were here fast and got to work, because when I got here it looked completely different than it does now. It was a big ball of fire.”
According to Bradley, the two car garage, which was attached to a larger garage/shed structure, housed a classic 1984 Chevy Scottsdale truck, and a 2008 Blazer. Both vehicles were a total loss and could be seen sticking out of the rubble, black from the heat and flames.
A neighbor spoke to The Express saying when she stepped out of her front door she saw the fire. “I’m just glad everyone is okay,” she said as she looked towards the Barner home and the long line of red flashing vehicles stretching down her street.
“I didn’t know anything was happening until a friend called me and said she heard it on the scanner,” she explained. “It was really burning, and I could hear the sirens coming,” she said. “But before they got here a group of hunters were driving by and ran to the garage and moved another truck that was sitting outside, away from the the fire. I don’t know who they were.”
The fire was determined out at 6:25 p.m. and the box was placed available for all fire companies who responded, including Lamar Township, Sugar Valley, Castenea, Woolrich, Mill Hall, Dunnstown, Nittany Valley.
Also responding to the scene were Goodwill Ambulance, and Director of Department of Emergency Services for Clinton County, Jonathan Plessinger.
The cause of the fire had not been determined as of press time.