East Deer looks to demolish 3 homes damaged by natural gas fire

East Deer officials said three homes along Freeport Road that were severely damaged Friday when a pickup crashed into a gas meter and sparked a fire will be demolished.

Efforts are being made to get one company to demolish all three buildings, officials said.

A family of six was left homeless after their home at 405 Freeport Road was destroyed in the fire. No one lived in the two adjacent homes that were damaged.

No injuries were reported.

Authorities said a wheel fell off a pickup passing by around 11:30 a.m. The truck struck several parked cars before jumping the sidewalk and crashing into a natural gas meter and pipeline in front of the home.

Natural gas fueled the flames that destroyed the home, pickup and severely damaged the vacant homes on either side.

The flames also burned through Comcast service lines, impacting several nearby towns for several hours.

The Red Cross initially assisted Aaron Ciccanti, his fiancee Andrea Small and Small’s four children, two boys and two girls, with a temporary place to stay, along with clothing and food. They reportedly moved into a place along Marion Street, about a block or two away from the fire scene, on Monday.

Friends and neighbors have been fundraising and collecting items for the family. Residents on Tuesday still were dropping off clothing and household supplies for the family at the township building at 927 Freeport Road.

Under a township ordinance, part of the insurance money earmarked toward recipients is placed in an escrow account until the buildings are razed.

Madasyn Lee contributed. George Guido is a freelance writer.