A row home fire in Lansford that sent five people to the hospital and shrouded a neighborhood in smoke was ruled accidental.

The fire started in the kitchen of 243 E. Ridge St., Lansford Fire Chief Joseph Greco said, and he credited responding firefighters for containing the fire mainly to that unit.

Two other homes, 241 E. Ridge St. and 239 E. Ridge St., had smoke damage, and occupants were allowed to return to the latter home, if they could deal with the smoke odor, he said.

The center unit, 241 E. Ridge St., was not occupied, Greco said.

Firefighters arrived within minutes of the first dispatch around 10:30 p.m. Thursday, he said. One of the residents escaped the home by climbing out onto a front porch roof, Greco said.

A Summit Hill police officer, Kodie Pituch, got a ladder from a neighbor and rescued a man from the roof, he said.

Greco did not have names or conditions of the fire victims, but said three people from 243 E. Ridge St. went to the hospital for smoke inhalation and possible respiratory burns.

Two occupants from 239 E. Ridge St. sustained some smoke inhalation and related anxiety, he said

A state police fire marshal was on the scene late Thursday or early Friday morning. Greco said they believed an appliance had been plugged into an extension cord in the kitchen.