TRR photo by Tom Kane A lone firefighter from Beach Lake smashes through a window at a fire on River Road in Damascus. (Click for larger image)

Fires drive residents out into the cold

By TOM KANE

RIVER VALLEY — Two large December 21 structure fires, occurring within six miles and several hours of each other, completely destroyed residences in Damascus and Tusten.

The first fire occurred at approximately 11:00 a.m. on River Road in Damascus, PA, about six miles north of the Narrowsburg bridge; the second was at 6:00 p.m., on Cackletown Road, just south of Narrowsburg off Route 97.

No one was injured as a result of either fire, but one bystander, Jill Padua, fell while approaching the fire on Cackletown Road. She was taken by the Tusten Volunteer Ambulance Service to Wayne Memorial Hospital in Honesdale with a badly sprained ankle.

Camille and Eric Derkatsch and their son, Alexander, rented the River Road home. They were not present at the time of the fire.

Until recently, the Derkatsch’s lived a few blocks from the World Trade Center on White Street and witnessed the events of September 11. Because of the unpleasant conditions of the neighborhood—their son had to go to another public school—they decided to move everything to Damascus and enroll their son in Damascus Elementary School.

“We lost everything, including a newly refurbished piano,” Camille said. “I don’t even have a comb to brush my hair.”

Eric Derkatsch continued to work in the city but returned every weekend, she said. The cause of the fire is not known and is under investigation.

Elizabeth Sinkler, owner of totally destroyed Cackletown Road home, provided a home for four elderly people.

According to firefighters, Sinkler ran into the flaming building to rescue one of the residents and as she emerged her hair and clothing had started on fire.

“I didn’t see the incident but was told she had to roll on the ground to put the fire on herself out,” said Narrowsburg Chief Craig Burkle. “She was okay afterwards.”

The four adults living with Sinkler in Narrowsburg are being housed at the Narrowsburg Adult Home, near Cackletown Road.

There was some evidence that the Cackletown fire was set, according to firefighters. “I can’t confirm that,” Burkle said. “The fire is under investigation.”

Six fire companies including Equinunk, Beach Lake, Welcome Lake, Cochecton, Lake Huntington and Narrowsburg, responded to the PA fire. The Damascus Vol. Ambulance Corps was also at the scene.

Fire companies battling the blaze on Cackletown included Narrowsburg, Beach Lake, Callicoon, Lava and Lake Huntington, with Welcome Lake, White Lake and Hortonville on standby. “It was an exhausting day for firefighters,” Burkle said. “We don’t need another one like that for a long time.”