NEWS INFORMATION FROM

THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED
City of Harrisburg
King City Government Center
Harrisburg, PA 17101-1678
Telephone: 717.255.3040

FOR IMMEDIATE USE
19 September 2003

TWO INJURED IN TWO BACK-TO-BACK FIRES; FAMILY DISPLACED; TWO RESIDENTS TO BE CITED AS HEROES

Harrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed tonight reported on two fires, which occurred within minutes of one another, the first being reported at 6:00 p.m.

The first alarm was reported as fire and smoke, with possible entrapment of persons inside at 2464 Reel Street, a detached single family home. On arrival, firefighters did a primary search and quickly extinguished the blaze, which did at least $15,000 damage to the structure and contents.

Two persons were injured, both being neighbors who, thinking that the mother and two children who live at the house were still inside, forced their way in in an attempt to find them. The family was actually not at home.

Reed said both neighbors, at considerable risk to themselves, went throughout the house, despite heavy smoke conditions. One suffered lacerations to his arm when he broke through a window to try and reach anyone inside. The other, who has a heart condition, needed to be checked for any adverse effects. Both went to Harrisburg Hospital. Firefighters rescued both of them with a ladder from the second floor of the structure.

The Mayor said both “acted with courage in a selfless effort to save others they thought were at risk. That is the definition of heroism.” Both will be given the city’s highest recognition award at the city’s Fire Awards Program in October, he said.

The two neighbors are identified as Charles Braddy, 52, and Walter Miller, 46, both of the 2400 block of Reel Street. Braddy is the one who sustained lacerations.

The mother and two children are displaced by the fire and are staying with friends. The home was one of many that had lost electrical power as a result of Tropical Storm Isabel and power had only been restored shortly before the fire.

The cause of this fire was unattended cooking.

While at this scene, firefighters were also called to the 5th floor of the Presbyterian Apartments, a high-rise housing complex at N. 2nd and South Streets. Three floors were evacuated. The fire was also caused by unattended cooking, producing light damage, mostly from smoke.

The same apartment complex had been the scene of a fire three weeks ago, which seriously injured one resident, who suffered major burns. There were no injuries in the latest fire.

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