The Times News area has its share of numerous tragedies in 2022, ranging from deaths to fires, drownings to major accidents.

The most recent of tragedies happened on Dec. 7 in Clamtown, West Penn Township, where two firefighters who responded to a blaze died in the blaze. A third death there was ruled a suicide.

The fire happened at 1121 Clamtown Road, where New Tripoli firemen Marvin Gruber, 59, and Zachary Paris, 36, died following entrapment.

The New Tripoli company was one of about 20 fire companies that responded to assist the West Penn Fire Company in battling the blaze.

In its aftermath, township police said a man found outside the home died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was identified as Christopher Kammerdiener, who resided at the scene of the blaze.

Not a good February

On Feb. 9, two young boys who fell into a frozen pond in West Brunswick Township died. The incident happened at 43 Molino Road in the township.

A 5-year-old boy was taken to the St. Luke’s-Geisinger Hospital, Orwigsburg, and then flown to the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, where he passed away.

A 4-year-old boy was initially treat ed at the Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, but died the next day at Nemours Albert I. DePont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware.

February continued to not be a good month as a devastating fire at a home in Polk Township on Feb. 10 claimed the lives of four children and their grandmother.

The fire broke out at the home of Carlos and Markie Rivera, 5107 Brook Road, which was completely destroyed.

Their four children Kathryn, Kaleb, Kristian and Kasper, ages 2 to 7, died in the blaze, as did Markie’s mother, Rosemarie LaBarre, 53, a teacher in the Bethehem Area School District.

Two separate drownings

Tragedy struck at the Mauch Chunk Lake, Jim Thorpe, on July 4, when a 17-year-old boy drowned in the waters.

Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan III identified him as Jose Atenco Augustine, of Mexico.

Officials said he was playing in the water when he went under and a frantic search followed.

After he was located beyond the roped area, CPR efforts weren’t enough to rescue him and he passed away in the St. Luke’s Hospital, Miners Campus, Coaldale.

Later in the same month, a second drowning occurred when former Panther Valley High School star basketball player, Rene Figueroa, of Lansford, went missing in the waters of Lake Hauto.

It happened on July 8 when Figueroa jumped from a boat and became distressed. He was found after a two-day search.

Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan ruled the death an accident, based on the results of a forensic autopsy.

Figueroa was a record-setting star cager for the Panthers, establishing the school record for points.

Pike crash claims driver

On Aug. 1, Harry Jackson III, of Brigantine, New Jersey, was killed on the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike after a tractor trailer crashed through the median and into the vehicle he was driving.

Carbon County Coroner Robert Miller said it happened at milemarker 79.2 when the rig, operated by Cheick O. Yameogo, 41, of Philadelphia, left the roadway, struck an embankment, went over the concrete center divider and crashed into Jackson’s vehicle.

At the end, six vehicles were involved in the pileup.

Fires destroy properties

Thirteen persons were displaced in a fire on Oct. 29 that severely damaged the upper floors of two buildings in Tamaqua’s downtown section and left business properties with varying levels of water and smoke damage.

It happened in the 100 block of West Broad Street, where officials said the blaze began of the unoccupied third floor of the Mila Buffet Chinese restaurant, 121-123 W. Broad St.

As a result, properties between 105 and 125 W. Broad St. were affected by the blaze. Among them are the owe and Odorizzi law Office, Perla Enterprises, the former Salvation Army building, a bicycle shop and numerous apartments.

On Dec. 6, a wildlife center in Schuylkill County was destroyed in a fire that also killed nearly two dozen animals in its care.

The Red Creek Wildlife Center, near Schuylkill Haven, suffered the catastrophic fire at its main clinic facility.

Red Creek is a licensed wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility whose reach extends across the commonwealth, providing education and certification to wildlife capture and transport volunteers throughout the state.

Pileup involved 50-60 vehicles

A massive pileup of between 50 and 60 vehicles was the result of a quick-hitting snowstorm that blanketed Interstate 81 in Schuylkill County.

State police at the Frackville barracks said there were several fatalities and about 25 persons hurt in the incident.

The pileup took place in the northbound lanes of the interstate, resulting in tractor trailers, cars, trucks and other vehicles slamming into each other. Some vehicles burst into flame; others overturned, with the interstate being shut down for days.

Meanwhile, hundreds of emergency responders were busy assisting victims, as were personnel from four different hospitals.