Scranton firefighter and elderly couple killed in fire (Reading, Pottstown: power lines, house)

[weluvpa]

A firefighter and a elderly couple were killed in a fire on Ash St. in Scranton today. Please keep their families and loved ones in your hearts and minds.

Scranton fire

[NYRangers 2008]

A terrible tragedy. We will pray for them and their families.

[geoffs]

May God bless them all;

A Fireman's Prayer

When I am called to duty, God,

Whenever flames may rage;

Give me strength to save some life,

Whatever be its age.

Help me embrace a little child

Before it is too late

Or save an older person

From the horror of that fate.

Enable me to be alert

And hear the weakest shout,

And quickly and efficiently

To put the fire out.

I want to fill my calling

And to give the best in me

To guard my every neighbor

And protect his property.

And if, according to my fate,

I am to lose my life,

Please bless with your protecting

My children and my wife.

- Author Unknown

[ScranBarre]

Oh wow! This is terrible news and an awful way to start out the new year! I'll keep them in my prayers. Fires are always tragic, especially when a hero is lost trying to save lives.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by SWB

Oh wow! This is terrible news and an awful way to start out the new year! I'll keep them in my prayers. Fires are always tragic, especially when a hero is lost trying to save lives.

Dan, was this fire near Mansour's? I'm hoping not because I can recall a few months ago when my partner and I helped an elderly woman get her car back into gear after the wheel locked on her. She was very kind. My heart is sinking now to think in my head that the 800-block of Ash Street is somewhere in that general area. She lived on the same side of Ash Street as Mansour's about three or four homes down the street heading towards downtown.

[Dawne]

God bless firefighters and all emergency workers. If you've ever had to make a call for assistance you know what it's like, waiting for them to arrive, and how their calm presence and dedication to duty make everything (almost) seem okay once they're on the scene and doing their job. Whether paid or volunteer, these people dedicate their lives and their time to helping others. What higher calling can there be in life? My husband is a volunteer fire fighter and when he gets a call while we're out eating or doing an activity as a family I get annoyed until I think of the person waiting at the other end of that 911 call, and how my small annoyance and loss of my husband for a short time pales in comparison to whatever life-changing event has prompted that person to call for help.

When you get that request for contribution in the mail from your local emergency responders, please remember them and try to give as generously as you can. Some day you may need these dedicated people, and your money helps them to do their job for you more efficiently and more safely.

My sympathy and prayers go out to the family and friends of Captain Robeson and the Fenstermachers.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by SWB

Dan, was this fire near Mansour's? I'm hoping not because I can recall a few months ago when my partner and I helped an elderly woman get her car back into gear after the wheel locked on her. She was very kind. My heart is sinking now to think in my head that the 800-block of Ash Street is somewhere in that general area. She lived on the same side of Ash Street as Mansour's about three or four homes down the street heading towards downtown.

Well I'm happy to report that this fire was in the "Lower Hill" not the "Upper Hill" so that kind old woman my partner and I helped was not one of the victims. It's a bloody shame no matter how you look at it though. Is there a fund drive set up so we can donate to the firefighter's widow and child?

[ScranBarre]

I was tearing up a bit today while reading some of the stories about the victims in today's Scranton Times-Tribune.



Here you can see W. Richard & Maria Fenstermacher, the elderly couple who couldn't make it out of their burning home in Scranton's Lower Hill neighborhood before they were overcome by carbon monoxide fumes. There was a very touching story in today's paper that profiled Heidi Frazer, the couple's daughter, along with her husband, Neil, who came back to Scranton from their home in New Jersey to sift through the ashes inside the home in search of salvaging anything that could provide them with something to latch onto for her parents' memory. The Fenstermachers were married for 51 years, and Mr. Fenstermacher upkept his properties in the neighborhood meticulously. Mrs. Fenstermacher is a native of Germany, and her husband was an American veteran of WWII. Neighbors describe the couple's demise as a huge loss to the community.



Meanwhile others grieve for fallen Scranton city fire captain James Robeson, who was electrocuted when the bucket he was in came into contact with live power lines along Ash Street. In this photo you can see three-year-old Eric Mitchell placing a rose at this hero's temporary memorial inside the Scranton Fire Department's headquarters along Mulberry Street. The boy's mother brought him and her other young son here to pay their respects to Capt. Robeson. "They don't get enough appreciation. They do so much and it takes a tragedy for them to get recognized," she said. Between 2,000 and 5,000 other firefighters are expected to descend upon the Electric City to attend his funeral on Thursday at St. Patrick's Church downtown. Captain Robeson leaves behind a wife and child as the community struggles to understand why a miscommunication between the Scranton FD and PPL occurred that led to this man's tragic death.

[ScranBarre]

Here are the obituaries for all three victims:

Capt. James L. Robeson

Capt. James L. Robeson, 50, of Scranton, died Sunday at Community Medical Center. His wife is the former Linda A. Mauro. The couple celebrated 18 years together Nov. 7.

Born in Scranton, son of Lee and Alyce McCrone Robeson, Scranton, he was educated in Scranton public schools and was a graduate of West Scranton High School, class of 1975, and Keystone Junior College with a degree in accounting. He also attended Penn State University.

He was employed by the Scranton Fire Department and also by Master Water Conditioner, Pottstown. He was a member of the International Association of Fire Fighters. He enjoyed bowling, golf, hunting, skiing, boating and photography. He was an avid New Orleans Saints football fan.

James and Linda were very proud to watch their son compete in many sporting events. James was respected and loved by Linda, who was proud to be his wife. He will always be missed by his wife, son, parents, brothers, sister and extended family and friends. Known as “The Jimmer” to his nieces, nephews and friends, he was a kind, compassionate and gentle soul.

Also surviving are a son, Ryan J., at home; two brothers, David Robeson, Scranton; and Paul Robeson, Lake Ariel; a sister, Tami Holman, Taylor, nieces, nephews and cousins.

The funeral will be Thursday at 10 a.m. from the Thomas J. Hughes Funeral Home Inc., 1240 St. Ann’s St., with Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:30 in St. Patrick’s Church, Jackson Street. Interment, Cathedral Cemetery. Friends attending the funeral are asked to go directly to the church.

Friends may call Tuesday, 6 to 9 p.m., and Wednesday, 3 to 8 p.m.
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W. Richard Fenstermacher

W. Richard Fenstermacher, 82, of Scranton, died Sunday at home, along with his wife, as a result of a house fire. His wife was the former Maria Sandkuhl. The couple was married in Germany on July 25, 1956, and celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary in 2007.

Born Aug. 27, 1925, in Scranton, he was the fourth of six children born to the late Robert G. and Mae Richards Fenstermacher. A 1943 graduate of Scranton Technical High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science in foreign languages at the University of Scranton in 1950, where he was on the dean's list. His master's degree came from studies at Laval University, Quebec, Canada; Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt.; and at the University of Bonn, Germany.

A 35-year teaching career included teaching French, English and social studies in the Port Matilda School District before coming to Scranton Central and West Scranton high schools. Ultimately, he accepted a position at Abington Heights, where he taught German and French, retiring in 1985. Two school years were spent in Germany as a Fulbright exchange teacher, one in Ahrweiler and the second in Duisburg.

In 1954, he received a Ford Foundation scholarship to participate in a summer foreign language auxilium at the University of Minnesota, which subsequently served as a forerunner to the National Defense Education Act Foreign Language Institutes, where he spent one summer in 1959 at Colgate University and another in 1961 at an institute in Bad Boll, Germany. He later taught methods and language laboratory techniques at an NDEA Institute at Albright College, Reading, in the summer of 1962.

During World War II, Mr. Fenstermacher served three years in the Army. At first, he studied the Army Specialized Training Program at the University of Dayton, until this program was eliminated in early 1944, while the invasion of France was planned. His overseas duty awards included the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and Battle Stars from the Battle of the Bulge and Central Europe. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star with a "V" for valor. He was a member of American Legion Post 908 and VFW Post 7069. He was president of the 102nd Infantry Division Association from 1998 to 1999.

He was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church, where he had served as a deacon and elder. He was also a member, past master and trustee of Schilles Lodge 345, Free and Accepted Masons. He was also a member of the Keystone Consistory, the Irem Temple and the Scranton Shrine Club.

At the time of his death, he was president of the Lackawanna County German-American Society and president of the Lackawanna County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees. A member and director of the Scranton Club, he also maintained an office there until January of 2001. From 1962 to 1973, he was also employed as a registered representative for the financial firm of Grunberg, Bellomo, Kaufer and Raff. As an alumnus of the University of Scranton, he was active in its annual fund drive. He was also a regular member of the Scranton Liederkranz Club.

He was an avid golfer and bowler, and proud to be a member of the Eastern Travelers Bowling League's winning team in 1999. Active in Republican politics, he was Scranton's 9th Ward chairman. In 1987, he was a successful candidate for school director. Providing housing for the six-tenant properties helped fill his free time.

Also surviving are a stepdaughter, Ingeborg "Heidi" Frazer and husband, Neil, Medford, N.J.; a sister, Lois Carroll and husband, Joe, Savannah, Ga.; several nieces and nephews.

He was also preceded in death by four brothers, First Lt. Robert G. Jr., a P-47 fighter-bomber pilot who was killed in the Battle of the Bulge Dec. 26, 1944; Jack, former manager of Michell Welding Supply Co.; Donald, a pharmacist from Collingswood and Ocean Ciy, N.J.; and Dr. Charles, a nuclear physicist from Los Alamos, N.M.

A memorial service for Mr. and Mrs. Fenstermacher will be Saturday at 1 p.m. in Covenant Presbyterian Church, Madison Avenue and Olive Street, with the Rev. Scott Loomer, pastor, officiating. Private interment with military honors will be in Abington Hills Cemetery.

Friends may call Friday, 4 to 7 p.m., in the Howard J. Snowdon Funeral Home, 1810 Sanderson Ave., Masonic services will be conducted at 6:30. Memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 550 Madison Ave., 18510.
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Maria S. Fenstermacher

Maria S. Fenstermacher, of Scranton, died Sunday morning at home, along with her husband, W. Richard Fenstermacher, as the result of a house fire. The couple celebrated 51 years of marriage July 25.

Born in Uedem, Germany, daughter of the late Heinrich and Adelheid Bothe Sandkuhl, she had resided in Scranton since 1956. She was employed as a forewoman at Manhattan Shirt Co. and later as manager of Old Forge Blouse Co. Before her retirement in 1982, she was owner and operator of Marbeth Fashions, Old Forge.

She was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church and served as a trustee. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Keystone Consistory, and served as a director for the Lackawanna County German-American Society.

Surviving are a daughter, Ingeborg "Heidi" Frazer and husband, Neil, Medford Lakes, N.J.; two sisters, Paula Bornheim and Anni Weber; two nieces and a nephew, all of Germany.

A memorial service for Mr. and Mrs. Fenstermacher will be Saturday at 1 p.m. in Covenant Presbyterian Church, Madison Avenue and Olive Street, with the Rev. Scott Loomer, pastor, officiating. Private interment will be Saturday in Abington Hills Cemetery, South Abington Township.

Friends may call Friday, 4 to 7 p.m., in the Howard J. Snowdon Funeral Home, 1810 Sanderson Ave. Memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Presbyterian Church, 550 Madison Ave., 18510.

[loveinbloom]

This is truly a very sad event. God bless All. I believe the Times mentioned A federal investigation...Prayers sent to the families and loved ones.

I have noticed a great deal of fires in NEPA...old buildings I guess.