Two displaced in Dover Twp. farmhouse fire

April 13--Fire in a Dover Township farmhouse caused extensive damage and displaced the two men who live there, a fire official said.

Dover Township Deputy Fire Chief Brian Widmayer said crews were called to a three-story farmhouse in the 6300 block of Clearview Road about 10:20 a.m. Friday, April 13.

Flames were showing from the home's second-floor bedroom windows when firefighters arrived, he said, and they had it under control in about 20 minutes.

A man and his adult son live there. The adult son got out of the house safely; his father wasn't home at the time of the fire, Widmayer said.

No firefighters were hurt battling the blaze, he said.

Widmayer said his department is still working to determine the cause of the fire.

The vintage farmhouse sustained smoke, water and fire damage, including to the roof, according to the deputy fire chief.

Salvageable: He estimated total damage at $70,000 and described it as extensive. Still, he said, the home is salvageable.

"Unfortunately, they had no insurance," he said.

Widmayer urged people to obtain homeowners' insurance or renters' insurance and said it often can be obtained fairly inexpensively.

"And for people who have insurance, they should check their policies to make sure they are adequately covered," he said. "It's a lot less expensive than most people think."

He said the Central Pennsylvania chapter of the American Red Cross is helping the men, and they also have family in the area who can help them.

Red Cross spokeswoman Kim Maiolo said the organization is assisting the men with food, shelter and clothing as well as with toiletries and other basic necessities.

To donate to the local chapter, go to redcross.org/centralpa and click on "You Can Help." Money donated locally stays local, Red Cross officials have said.

Assisting Dover Township crews at the scene were firefighters from Dover Borough, Wellsville, East Berlin, Lake Meade and Manchester Township, Widmayer said.

-- Reach Liz Evans Scolforo at [email protected] or on Twitter at @LizScolforoYD.

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