The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

Local News

November 30, 2008

Heater, gasoline ignite blaze, destroying Sharpsville garage, motorcycles

By Courtney L. Anderson

SHARPSVILLE — Spilled gasoline and a kerosene heater sparked a fire Saturday night that destroyed a Sharpsville garage, Fire Chief Andrew Totin said.

Firefighters were called to 58 S. Walnut St. at 9:49 p.m. by Sandy Melius, who owns and lives in the home that is about 3 feet away from the garage, Totin said.

Totin said Mrs. Melius heard oxygen tanks exploding in the garage where her husband Dan and others were working on a motorcycle.

No one reported injuries, Totin said, but the men had singed clothing.

The garage, two motorcycles — one Melius’ Harley Davidson and another he was working on — and many tools inside were destroyed by the blaze, Totin said.

“Anything imaginable you’d think would be in a garage, I think they had it,” Totin said, noting that they had welders and cutting tools.

Firefighters were able to protect the Melius’ home and put out the fire, but it melted the vinyl siding on the house and another garage next door, he said. Several windows at their home were also broken by the fire.

Totin declined to put a dollar amount on the damage, saying he leaves that to insurance adjusters.

The Meliuses are able to stay in their house, Totin said.

Hermitage and South Pymatuning Township volunteer firefighters were on standby to cover the borough while Sharpsville firefighters were at the scene, Totin said.

They left the site of the fire at about 11:40 p.m., he said.

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