A home was destroyed by fire Monday afternoon in Rush Township, Schuylkill County.

The fire was first reported just before 5 p.m. at the home of George Yemm, Jr. located at the intersection of Route 309 and Main Street in the village of Ginther.It was first reported Yemm may have been trapped in the blaze but when Rush Township police arrived on scene they found the owner and his dog standing outside the wood-frame dwelling.Yemm told police he had a kerosene heater in the bathroom of the home. He smelled smoke and began to investigate. He said when he opened the bathroom door he was confronted by flames.Firefighters entered the burning home and began to ventilate the roof. But when flames spread throughout the vintage home they were ordered out of the dwelling and off the roof.Firefighters from throughout Schuylkill County battled the stubborn blaze for more than an hour before bringing it under control.The four lanes of Route 309 were reduced to one lane and at times shut down for water tanked to enter the site. Tamaqua and Hometown fire police maintained traffic control at the scene.