Pennsylvania EMT Resuscitates Cat After Blaze

LANSFORD, Penn.-- A Lansford woman was taken into custody Monday morning during a fire that damaged her home and an adjoining home.

The blaze at 41 and 43 S. Walnut St. claimed three pets, one owned by Suzanne Hough, 41 S. Walnut St., and two pets owned by a family in 43 S. Walnut St, and also injured a firefighter.

According to officials at the scene, Suzanne Hough became uncooperative with fire and police officials and was taken into custody minutes after the fire was reported around 9:10 a.m.

Lansford police Chief James Strauss said Hough was then taken to Gnaden Huetten Hospital, Lehighton, where she was committed for an evaluation.

Hough brought one of her two pet dogs out of the burning home with her. Her other dog was found dead on the second floor of the building, officials said at the scene.

Strauss said his department is working with fire officials to determine how the blaze started.

"She's only a suspect," he said of Hough.

According to assistant borough fire chief Ronald Hood, despite intense heat and flames shooting from the rear of the Hough home, firefighters from Lansford and surrounding communities managed to get the blaze under control in about 90 minutes,

Flames spread to the second half of the double home, 43 S. Walnut St., occupied by Jae Lehman, his wife, Amanda, and their 6-year-old daughter, Emilee.

Amanda Lehman said she was at work at Kiddie Kapers Inc. day care center, Lansford, when the fire broke out. Her husband was at work at Warren Lumber, Phillipsburg, N.Y., and her daughter at her first-grade class.

Lehman said her stepfather, a Lansford fire police officer, called her at work to tell her about the blaze.

By the time she returned to her home, Lehman said firefighters were working to contain the fire and save her half of the double home.

"All I thought when I got here is my animals are inside, " the woman said.

Lehman said an 8-year-old pet cat named Tiger died in the blaze, along with the family's pet hermit crab named Hermione. Two dogs, Sandy, 12, and Nikkita, 8, along with another cat, Spunky, 4, were rescued, treated for smoke inhalation by EMS personnel at the scene and taken to a local veterinarian for evaluation and treatment.

Lehman said EMS personnel tried to resuscitate Tiger, but he died at the scene.

Lehman and her husband waited with other family members across the street from the home they lived in for more than five years.

"I just want to know what happened," Amanda Lehman said. "I don't know anything right now."

She said that there has never been any trouble with neighbors in the area and everyone gets along with each other.

Hood said the blaze is believed to have started in the rear portion of the Hough home and spread from there.

He said damage was extensive to that home, while portions of the Lehman home also suffered fire damage, as well as smoke and water damage.

Hood also said the homes at 39 Walnut and 45 Walnut, which stand separately from the double structure at 41 and 43 by a narrow strip of yard on each side, sustained some smoke damage but no fire damage.

In addition, Hood said one Lansford firefighter suffered burns to his shoulder and was taken to St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital, Coaldale, for treatment.

Volunteers from the American Red Cross Carbon County Chapter were on scene to assist the displaced families with shelter and other necessities.

State police fire marshal Trooper David Klitsch from the Hazleton barracks was at the scene to assist local officials with the investigation. Carbon County fire units responding to the blaze included Lansford, Summit Hill, Nesquehoning and Hauto. They were joined by Coaldale firefighters from Schuylkill County and the Tamaqua Fire Department Rapid Intervention Team.

Copyright 2007 The Republican & Herald.

Republished with permission of The Republican & Herald.