10 departments respond to Rouseville fire

Ten regional fire departments responded to a fire at 320 McClintockville Road in Rouseville, Sunday evening.

Cornplanter Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched initially, followed by Pinegrove, Pleasantville, Oakland, Seneca, Rocky Grove, Reno, Rouseville, Cherrytree, and Oil City.

The call came in just before 5 p.m., Venango County 911 dispatchers said. According to Ben Schwab, chief of Cornplanter VFD, the fire itself started in and was contained to the basement of the residence, though smoke damage went as far as the first floor.

Jamie Carson, Cornplanter chief 3 said that residents of the home were alerted to the fire by their smoke alarms. The fire, he said, started directly beneath the residents’ bedroom.

Crews had to set up a holding tank for water and run around 600 feet of hose, according to Reno Assistant Chief Dan Marvin, from the bottom of McClintockville Road to the top.

Community Ambulance remained on standby into the evening, though Schwab said there were no injuries to either personnel or residents.

In addition to fire crews and the residents, Schwab said, a family dog was unharmed as well.

National Fuel, Penelec, and Cornplanter Township Water Authority were on hand as well as the scene was cleared.

As of Sunday evening, said Schwab, the cause was not determined.