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Man injured saving property from garage fire

By Staff | Dec 21, 2010

LAIRDSVILLE – A Franklin Township man was hurt last Wednesday afternoon as he attempted to save farm tractors and other equipment from his burning garage on Crow Hill Road, according to Lairdsville Fire Chief Glen Temple.

Robert Swisher, of 351 Crow Hill Road, was treated at Muncy Valley Hospital and discharged, a nursing supervisor said.

Temple said volunteer firefighters, responding to the blaze about noon, could see black smoke in the sky as they left the firehouse, about four miles from Swisher’s property.

“He was trying to put out the fire and was bringing out some of the equipment from his garage (when he was hurt),” Temple said.

Swisher’s two-story garage was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene, Temple said, and there was no way crews could enter the building, part of which already had collapsed.

“We haven’t been able to talk with him (Swisher) about what happened,” Temple said. Swisher operated a garden and farm tractor repair shop out of his garage.

While Swisher’s home never was threatened by the fire, it was a different story for his barn, which was just 75 feet away. Firefighters kept the flames at bay.

The garage was a total loss, and damage estimates are being determined. It took 40 firefighters from Lairdsville, Unityville, Picture Rocks, Hughesville and Millville an hour to bring the blaze under control.