Two residents and a firefighter were injured while crews handled a blaze during very cold temperatures Sunday night in Northampton County.
Hanover Township Fire Co. Chief Scott Van Why said crews were called to the 400 block of Sugar Maple Court for a report of a house fire. Photos taken by a freelance photographer showed flames coming from the back of the home, which was located on a cul-de-sac.
“It was pretty well-involved upon arrival,” the chief said. The two residents and firefighter who were injured were taken to a nearby hospital, and they were released by Monday morning, according to Van Why.
The cold and recent snowfall complicated efforts to fight the fire, he said. A fire hydrant was covered by snow, and neighbors had to dig it out so firefighters could use it. Additionally, the firefighter who was injured fell after slipping on ice, Van Why said.
Fire officials struck a third alarm on the blaze so they could switch firefighters out because of how cold it was that night, Van Why said. Weather service data showed temperatures dropped to a low of 2. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The chief said the fire was a reminder to residents to make sure they have their fire hydrants cleared. In Hanover Township, it is the property owner’s responsibility to clear them.