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Consumer Watchdog: Company promising free phone leaves customer on hold

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Happy birthday to Giovanna Gloria “GiGi” Ceruti!

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Saturday afternoon fire chased 10 people from a home and left the East Northampton Street building seriously damaged.</p><p>Firefighters were dispatched to 312 E. Northampton St. at approximately 3 p.m. Wilkes-Barre resident Tom Sabatini, 27, said he was across the street getting his car inspected at Harris Garage &amp; Muffler Shop when he noticed the fire and called 911.</p><p>&#8220;Flames were shooting through the roof already, so it all escalated pretty quickly,&#8221; he said.</p><p>Smoke and flames engulfed the entire third floor of the house. The building&#8217;s owner, William Shemanski, 58, said there was nobody on the third floor during the fire.</p><p>Shemanski, one of the 10 people in the building at the time of the fire, said everyone made it out safely.</p><p>&#8220;We were just hanging around enjoying the holiday weekend,&#8221; Shemanski said. &#8220;The fire was in attic and we smelled all the smoke. Somebody started yelling &#8216;the house is on fire,&#8217; so we grabbed all the kids and ran out.&#8221;</p><p>The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to officials.</p><p>According to Deputy Fire Chief Alan Klapat, the fire did not spread to the rest of the house and was contained in the third floor, but there is still water and smoke damage to the rest of the home as well as the old Billy&#8217;s Pizza and Subs property at 310 E. Northampton St.</p><p>He said there is a good chance the home is a complete loss.</p><p>&#8220;At this point it&#8217;s a little early to tell,&#8221; he said. &#8220;By its initial look, it does look irreparable, but it&#8217;s going to be up to the insurance company.&#8221;</p><p>Klapat also said the Red Cross is assisting the Shemanski family with lodging, food and clothing.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Homeowner William Shemanski stands across the street from his house that caught fire on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire13.jpg</photo0><caption0>Homeowner William Shemanski stands across the street from his house that caught fire on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire23.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Flames shoot from a home on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire23.jpg</photo1><caption1>Flames shoot from a home on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Ron Honeywell | Submitted photo </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire33.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Flames shoot from a home on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire33.jpg</photo2><caption2>Flames shoot from a home on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Ron Honeywell | Submitted photo </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire43.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Photo by: Ron Honeywell</div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire43.jpg</photo3><caption3>Photo by: Ron Honeywell</caption3><photoCredit3>Ron Honeywell | Submitted photo </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire53.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Firefighters make sure a fire is extinguished on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/web1_TTL112915Fire53.jpg</photo4><caption4>Firefighters make sure a fire is extinguished on East Northampton Street in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. </caption4><photoCredit4>Sean McKeag | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jimmy Fisher</p><p>jfisher@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jimmy Fisher at 570-704-3972 or on Twitter @SD_JimmyFisher</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Update: Cause of Northampton Street fire under investigation