Fire guts home, landscaping business near Jersey Shore Boro | News, Sports, Jobs

PHIL HOLMES/FOR THE EXPRESS
Volunteer firefighters from Lycoming and Clinton Counties responded to this two-alarm fire that ravaged the home of Ethan Crist and his landscaping business at 281 River Road in Porter Township, just outside Jersey Shore, on Sunday morning. No one was injured.

JERSEY SHORE — No one was injured, but a two-alarm blaze on Sunday morning destroyed the home of Ethan Crist and his landscaping business, Cutting Edge, at 281 River Road, just outside the borough.

The smoke drifted east for several miles and some residents in the Williamsport’s Newberry neighborhood said they could even smell it.

Crist, who lived alone, was not home when the fire was reported about 7:10 a.m.

Crist kept many of his trucks and some equipment on the first floor while he lived on the upper floor.

Family members live nearby and rushed to the scene. There were some very frantic moments and it was feared Crist was possibly trapped inside because his mother could not reach him, according to Lycoming Regional police Sgt. Brian Fioretti.

However, Crist did not have his cell phone with him while he was out doing errands, Fioretti said he was told.

Crist arrived to find firefighters battling the fire.

Joseph Mitchell, deputy fire chief at Citizens Hose, directed operations.

Firefighters initially were able to make an interior attack, “but they were pushed out by fire,” he said. Very Soon after they exited the property, the second floor began to collapse.

Firemen used water from one hydrant on River Road, just across from the driveway, as well as a second hydrant on Main Street in the borough.

The fire was declared under control about 8:40 a.m.

A state police fire marshal will be assisting in the investigation into the origin and cause of the fire.