Ephrata home damaged by Christmas Eve fire

Blaze started by electric wall heater

EPHRATA — A fire on the night of Christmas Eve left one woman with a minor burn injury and her rental home with about $2,500 in damage, the Ephrata Fire Department reported.

The woman was home at 1230 Sunset St. Southeast, with her juvenile daughter when they smelled smoke coming from under a bedroom door, Ephrata Fire Chief Jeremy Burns said. They opened the door and discovered a cardboard box full of clothes ignited, with flames rising up the wall, Burns said.

The daughter sought help from neighbors, who called 911, he said.

A neighbor ran into the burning home to get the mother out as she attempted to remove the burning material from the bedroom, the fire chief said. The two exited the home, crawling low to avoid thick smoke.

Firefighters controlled the fire quickly, Burns said.

The mother was treated at the scene for a burn to her hand. The daughter and neighbor were not injured.

Fire investigators ruled the fire accidental, Burns said. An electric wall heater in the bedroom set the cardboard box and contents ablaze, he said.

The rental property is insured.

Burns said the home has a smoke alarm, but batteries were removed, rendering it inoperable.

A total of two engine companies, one ladder company, three command officers and 19 firefighters from the city and Grant County Fire District 13 responded to the blaze. They were on scene for about one hour.