Published: June 16, 2009 11:42 pm      

Area family flees blaze

JEROME — A family of six escaped their burning home early Tuesday after an electric blanket malfunctioned and started a fire in a bedroom, authorities said. The home was gutted.

The blaze broke out at 4:21 a.m. at the James Shaffer home at 171 Oak St., said Russell Miller, chief of Jerome Volunteer Fire Company.

Thick smoke awakened Shaffer, who hustled his wife and four children from the home. Miller said.

The family fled to a neighbor’s house where they called 911.

“It was fully engulfed (in flames) when we got there,” Miller said.

The fire started in the master bedroom and quickly spread to the rest of the house, he said.

The fire is believed to have started with faulty wiring leading to an electric blanket and is being ruled accidental, Miller said.

The house is considered a total loss with damage estimated at $127,000.

No one was injured in the blaze, which kept some of the firefighters at the scene until 12:30 p.m., Miller said.

The Shaffer family is staying with relatives, and the Red Cross has offered to assist them.

Firefighters from Jerome, Boswell, Hollsopple and Ideal responded along with crews from Conemaugh and Richland townships.