A raging blaze of undetermined origin roared through a double block house in Schuylkill Township Sunday. Flames sent seven residents fleeing for their lives and destroyed everything both families owned just weeks before Christmas.

The Schuylkill Communications Center dispatched fire companies and emergency responders from throughout the region at 5:45 p.m. for a report of a working structure fire at 173 Sunny Drive, Mary D.

The home has been occupied for about four years by Jereme and Jodi Denning, son, 5, daughter, 9, and Jody's grandmother, Illomay Nelson. All escaped unharmed, although Nelson was taken to St. Luke's Hospital - Miners Campus, Coaldale, for observation and possible smoke inhalation. A family dog also escaped unharmed.

The stubborn blaze also engulfed the adjacent home, 174 Sunny Drive, occupied by Pete and Ida Kutash, one of whom is confined to a wheelchair. The couple was able to make their way out of the house and sought refuge at a neighbor's home across the street.

Fast moving

Relatives and neighbors said whatever happened took place in a flash. The entire Kutash/Denning building seemed to explode in flames said those on scene.

"I was just sitting here and the whistle went off," said Rosalind "Pixie" Hosler, daughter of Nelson and mother of Jodi Denning. Hosler lives just a few doors down the street. When she realized the fire was across the street, "I ran out screaming," she said. She quickly realized her family was safe but feared for the Kutash couple since a wheelchair evacuation can take some time.

"He has a lift. I was so worried about them," said Hosler.

Battling the blaze became extremely dangerous as the structure weakened. At 6:43 p.m., the fire department blasted a loud evacuation alarm, alerting all firefighters to abandon interior assignments and exit the structure immediately.

The smoky blaze spread quickly, engulfing not only both floors of both homes, but a two-story garage annex.

"That was Jereme's mancave," said Hosler. "He had a jukebox, pool table, large screen TV and refrigerator."

Hosler's sister, Rochelle Nelson Lazarchick, rushed over from Tamaqua when she heard the fire was at the home of her mother and niece.

"This is something," she said. "They had just finished wrapping the Christmas gifts."

Although details are unclear, those at the scene indicated the Denning family and Kutash couple likely have fire insurance to cover at least some of the loss.

Neighbors noted that house addresses in Mary D were assigned numbers chronologically as structures were built, not according to which side of the street they were on. Therefore, house numbers do not follow even-odd configurations seen in most other communities. The affected houses are numbered 173 and 174, but are side by side.

Firefighters were expected to be on the scene most of the night as the blaze kept rekindling.

Among those responding were fire companies from Mary D, Brockton, Tamaqua, Tuscarora, Coaldale, Pottsville, Yorkville, Hometown, New Ringgold, Port Carbon, New England Valley, Mar Lin and Kaska, along with ambulances and rescue units from Tamaqua and surrounding towns.

Battling the blaze became extremely dangerous as the structure weakened. At 6:43 p.m., the fire department blasted a loud evacuation alarm, alerting all firefighters to abandon interior assignments and exit the structure immediately.

The smoky blaze spread quickly, engulfing not only both floors of both homes, but a two-story garage annex.

More on this story in Monday's edition.

Photo gallery from the fire:

http://www.tnonline.com/gallery/two-families-homeless-mary-d-house-fire