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<p>KINGSTON &#8212; Fire officials say a blaze that gutted a home in the 500 block of North Gates Avenue Tuesday has been ruled an act of arson.</p><p>Kingston Fire Chief Frank Guido said the ongoing investigation into the origins of the fire will be handled by the Kingston Municipal Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police going forward. &#8220;It has definitely been ruled an arson,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Guido, state Deputy Fire Marshal Ronald Jarocha and a K-9 unit from the Scranton Police Department were inside the house Wednesday, searching for what sparked the blaze. Items from inside the home were scattered on the front lawn and the smell of smoke lingered in the air.</p><p>Officials haven&#8217;t specified how or where they believe the fire began inside the home.</p><p>A man briefly crossed the police barrier and had a brief conversation with Jarocha and other officers on the scene. The man did not respond when asked if he was a member of the household.</p><p>Police found a woman who went missing shortly after the time of the fire earlier this morning.</p><p>An official from the Kingston Fire Department said Helen Sterner was found shortly after 7 a.m. The official said Sterner was found near Hamilton Park, but did not know specifics.</p><p>The official said she has been transported to a local hospital, but did not know her medical condition.</p><p>According to Luzerne County 911, fire crews were dispatched to a working structure fire at 2:38 p.m. Tuesday and Guido said firefighters brought the fire under control quickly.</p><p>The home likely cannot be salvaged, Guido said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal along with Scranton Police Department Fire Marshal arrive at the scene to investigate the cause of a house fire on North Gates Avenue in Kingston that started Tuesday afternoon. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_TTL102215firefolo2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal along with Scranton Police Department Fire Marshal arrive at the scene to investigate the cause of a house fire on North Gates Avenue in Kingston that started Tuesday afternoon. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Travis Kellar</p><p>tkellar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Travis Kellar at 570-991-6389 or on Twitter at @TLNews.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Investigators rule Kingston fire an act of arson