Firefighters extinguish working house fire in Gettysburg

Adams County firefighters battled a working house fire in Gettysburg Tuesday morning.

Firefighters were called to a home on the 100 block of East Middle Street in Gettysburg for a report of a house on fire around 11:18 a.m. on Tuesday morning, according to Adams County dispatch records.

When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke pushing from the back corner of the home, said Gettysburg Fire Department Public Information Officer Russell McCutcheon.

Firefighters made entry and found the fire inside the wall of a bathroom on the second floor that was extending up into the ceiling, McCutcheon said.

The fire was quickly knocked down, he said, and firefighters worked for some time to ensure the fire was fully extinguished and did not travel further into the walls or attic.

No one was home at the time of the fire, which was called in by a neighbor, McCutcheon said.

No injuries were reported, McCutcheon confirmed.

A salvage company is coming to assist with boarding up the home, McCutcheon said, and it was unclear if the home would be habitable for the occupants.

The fire appeared to be accidental in nature, beginning inside the walls of the home, McCutcheon said, and the Pennsylvania State Fire Marshal's office will not be responding to investigate.

The fire marked the first fire for Gettysburg Fire Department's new Engine 1-2, a 2023 Pierce Enforcer, which was put into service on Wednesday, just six days before the fire, McCutcheon noted.

"We're glad to see this new fire engine being able to support our community and help us in protection of our residents," said McCutcheon.

While the single-family home physically fronted to Liberty Street, Gettysburg Fire Department Chief Ken Kime noted that, due to an oddity of property lines and street history, the home was in fact an East Middle Street address.