Duck Coop Catches Fire, Burns Garage

Firefighters battled a two-alarm blaze early Monday morning in a garage at 4362 Bachman Drive in Schnecksville, according to North Whitehall Fire Marshal Don Jacobs.

The fire, which was reported at 4:30 a.m., was accidently caused by a heat lamp that was left on and ignited some hay in an empty coop in the garage, Jacobs said.

Homeowner and duck hobbyist Jeffrey Gooch was trying out a new material for the future duck home.

"The ducks were supposed to arrive today," Jacobs said.

Gooch and a tenant got out safely from the home attached to the garage after they were alerted by a smoke alarm. Gooch managed to pull his new car out of the garage and aim water from a garden hose on the fire before firefighters from Schnecksville, Neffs and Tri-Clover departments arrived, Jacobs said.

Emergency workers from Northern Valley Ambulance were also at the scene.

The car sustained some damage from the fire, heat and smoke, but the garage will probably have to be torn down, Jacobs said.

"It could have been a lot worse," he said.