EMPORIUM — A fire that damaged a rental building June 21 in Emporium Borough has been ruled accidental.
According to Emporium-based state police, a state police fire marshal unit and Emporium Volunteer Fire Department chief investigated the cause and origin of a fire that occurred at 4:29 a.m. June 21 at 220 W. Greenwood St., owned by Steven Sowers, 46, of Howard.
Police said the fire was accidentally ignited in garbage outside the building after a child was playing with a lit candle stick.
No one was injured, police reported.
The occupants were able to return to the rental structure once the electricity was repaired, according to police. The preliminary damage estimate is $20,000.
