NEW PHILADELPHIA - A woman and four children were displaced from their home Sunday afternoon after a fire started in a bedroom closet.
Jeff Newhard, assistant fire chief in the borough, said firefighters were called about 2 p.m. to 174 Kimber St.
The woman and children, according to Newhard, were asleep on the second and third floors of the home when a 5-year-old child smelled smoke and woke everyone up and alerted the neighbors.
Newhard declined to identify the victims, who declined comment at the scene. The home is owned by Ryan J. Roth, according to the Schuylkill County parcel locator.
Firefighters put out the blaze in about 15 minutes, Newhard said.
"Our group made a real nice stop to slow it down before it spread," Newhard added.
The fire started in a bedroom closet on the second floor and a fire marshal was called to investigate, Newhard said.
"Fires don't usually start in the closet," Newhard said.
There was substantial damage to the second floor and smoke and water damage on the first floor.
"It's going to be a while till they can fix it up," Newhard said.
The American Red Cross was called to help the family find a place to stay.