web1_Amy-and-Steve-Colley.jpg

Holiday Camp at Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock is Dec. 27, 28

web1_AP_18300080513798.jpg

Winter meetings: Machado, Realmuto among targets for suitors in early talks

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; City firefighters battled a stubborn blaze Tuesday morning on South Meade Street that forced the evacuation of neighboring houses, including one home with four children and four adults.</p><p>Firefighters responded to 39 S. Meade St. just before 7:30 a.m., finding heavy smoke coming from windows.</p><p>The house was being renovated, and a permit was visible in a window.</p><p>&#8220;It was a stubborn fire. We thought we had it knocked down but there was so much heat and so much smoke, we had to pull the firefighters out. It was just too dangerous to fight the fire inside,&#8221; Fire Chief Jay Delaney said.</p><p>Several firefighters rushed inside when they arrived, believing someone was still in the home. About a minute later, firefighters quickly exited due to rapidly deteriorating conditions, the chief said.</p><p>Delaney said the homeowner is staying elsewhere since the house was being renovated.</p><p>It took firefighters about three hours to get the blaze under control.</p><p>A section of the roof collapsed onto the second floor, which nearly collapsed onto the first floor, Delaney said.</p><p>&#8220;The firefighters did a really good job keeping it contained to the property,&#8221; he explained.</p><p>Delaney said firefighters prevented flames from spreading to 41 S. Meade St., which is just feet away.</p><p>&#8220;We heard a loud pop around 7 this morning and we thought it was the guys because they had been working on that house the last couple of days,&#8221; said Teresa Gryskevicz who was inside 41 South Meade. &#8220;Soon after the pop, all the lights and power in the house went out then I started to smell smoke, and I heard people outside screaming the house is on fire.&#8221;</p><p>Gryskevicz said she went outside and immediately noticed smoke billowing from the house next door.</p><p>&#8220;I ran back in and yelled get all the kids out,&#8221; Gryskevicz said.</p><p>Her daughter, Sarah, hosted a sleepover that included four children.</p><p>&#8220;We all just woke up getting ready for school and we heard a loud pop and heard someone scream &#8216;fire,&#8217; and saw the smoke coming in,&#8221; said Teresa&#8217;s daughter, Amanda Gryskevicz, who was holding her 1-year-old son bundled up in a blanket.</p><p>Amanda Gryskevicz said she and her sister, Sarah, got all the children, ages 1, 3, 5 and 8, out of their residence.</p><p>The Wyoming Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the Gryskevicz family as their residence suffered water damage. Delaney estimated they should return Wednesday.</p><p>Meanwhile, the chief said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.</p><p>Firefighters returned to the house Tuesday afternoon due to a flare-up.</p><p>It was the second fire in the Heights section of Wilkes-Barre in as many days.</p><p>On Monday, firefighters fought a blaze at 34 S. Welles St. that forced five people from their apartments.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire3-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Flames are shown at 39 S. Meade St. in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday morning while firefighters work at the scene. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire3-3.jpg</photo0><caption0>Flames are shown at 39 S. Meade St. in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday morning while firefighters work at the scene. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire4-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Firefighters are seen training a hose at 39 S. Meade St., the scene of a fire Tuesday morning that caused the evacuation of neighboring homes. No one was living at 39 South Meade due to ongoing renovations. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire4-3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Firefighters are seen training a hose at 39 S. Meade St., the scene of a fire Tuesday morning that caused the evacuation of neighboring homes. No one was living at 39 South Meade due to ongoing renovations. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire5-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre firefighters are shown on an aerial ladder while crews worked Tuesday morning to extinguish a fire at 39 S. Meade St. and stop the flames from spreading to nearby homes. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire5-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Wilkes-Barre firefighters are shown on an aerial ladder while crews worked Tuesday morning to extinguish a fire at 39 S. Meade St. and stop the flames from spreading to nearby homes. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire1-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wilkes-Barre firefighters work to extinguish a structure fire at 39 S. Meade St. on Tuesday morning. The house was being renovated, and no one was living there. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire1-3.jpg</photo3><caption3>Wilkes-Barre firefighters work to extinguish a structure fire at 39 S. Meade St. on Tuesday morning. The house was being renovated, and no one was living there. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire2-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Heavy smoke is seen billowing from a home at 39 S. Meade St. in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday morning. No one was inside at the time of the blaze, but the fire forced the evacuation of neighboring homes. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_TTL121218fire2-3.jpg</photo4><caption4>Heavy smoke is seen billowing from a home at 39 S. Meade St. in Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday morning. No one was inside at the time of the blaze, but the fire forced the evacuation of neighboring homes. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre firefighters battle blaze on South Meade Street