Vol. 96, No. 28
home
By JOHN F. KILDUFF
Staff Writer
Seven boarding house residents
were killed and 12 others narrowly
escaped death early Tuesday morn-
ing when a general alarm fire
ripped through Thomas’ Guest
Home on Main Street in Sweet
Valley at approximately 4 a.m.
Pronounced dead at the scene by
Luzerne County Coroners’ Officer
officials were the following boarding
home residents:
Lucy Delregno, 73; Agnes Scan-
lon, 72; Nicholas Demko, 69; Ste-
phen Haberly, 90 Emett Dempsey,
64; Grace Sorber, 75; and 19 year-
old Rhonda Raddler.
The seven dead were transfered
to the Kniffen Funeral Home at 465
S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre where a
temporary morgue was set up,
awaiting the arrival of Luzerne
County Coronor Dr. George Hudak,
wha was expected to identify’ the
bodies and the cause of death some-
time late Tuesday afternoon.
Also injured in the blaze were the
owners of the guest home, Ronald
and Patricia Thomas, and their 21-
year-old daughter, Leslie.
Ronald Thomas was treated for
second degree burns on his face,
blaze
back and hands at Wilkes-Barre
Mercy Hospital and was later air-
lifted to Lehigh Valley Burn Center
in Allentown. Mercy spokespersons
say Ronald Thomas suffered second
degree burns over 10 percent of his
body.
Thomas’s wife, Patricia, and
daughter Leslie, were treated at
Mercy for smoke inhalation and
were later released.
Others injured in the blaze were
Clara Hess, age 74, and Mary
Perry, age 77, who were both admit-
ted to Nesbitt Memorial Hospital,
Kingston for first and second degree
burns to the face and smoke inhalla-
tion.
treated at Nesbitt. One was later
transfered to Lehigh Valley Bugh
Center and two others were senf’to
Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.
Hospital officials did not havé the
names for release, said Publi¢ Rela-
tions Officer Jo Stearn.
Also hospitalized at Wilkes-Barre
Leonard Ostapovicz, a resident of
the guest home, for second and
third degree burns to the face and
shoulders and 67 year-old Ruth Low-
escher, also a resident, for smoke
inhalation. Both were listed in criti-
(See FIRE, page 10
25 Cents
Future of Gate of Heaven
School determined to be solid
Student enrollment, the key parameter in determin- “Our enrollment has remained steady for the past
ing the financial stability of most Catholic schools, is four to five years,” said Morgan. ‘“‘And the community
remaining steady at the Gate of Heaven Elementary support for our school is terrific. It (community
school in Dallas, Sister Davida Morgan, principal of support) could not be any better at this school.”
the facility said this past week. (See GATE, page 10)
Avoiding the tag |
Susie Slocum of the Back Mountain National League All-Stars attempts to hurl herself out of the
way of American League catcher Lori Ee/tigson in a play at home plate during thetitle tilt
between the two Back Mountain teams Saturday evening. Slocum was called out at the plate,
but the National League Stars went on to take a 7-2 victory for the District 16 title.’ /(Story,
additional photo, page 11) 7 |
Dallas Post/Ed Campbell
Clean-up boat
7
Dallas Post/John F. Kilduff
By JOHN F. KILDUFF
Staff Writer
The Department of Environmen-
tal Resources officially lifted the
swimming advisory at Harveys
Lake Monday morning, one week
after the lake was treated with
copper sulfate, the anabaena algae
killer.
Water sampling personnel from
the Wilkes-Barre, DER agency
tested for anabaena algae counts
early Monday morning and found
that the levels were far below the
500 parts per millileter, which DER
says constitutes a swimming advis-
ory.
Anabaena algae levels at four
locations at Harveys Lake were
recorded as follows. Alderson Sec-
tion - 205; Sandy Bottom Beach -
115; Warden Place - 155 and
Hanson’s - 130.
On July 2, the day DER issued the
swimming advisory at Harveys
Lake, anabaena algae levels were
well above the 500 parts per millile-
ter threshold.
{For example, the Alderson section
July 2 registered a very high 950
and Warden Place was at 450.
gae counts . this high, DER said,
could cause skin rashes for swim-
mers and nausea if the lake water
was swallowed.
“Harveys lake looks good for
tions coordinator Mark Carmon said
Monday. ‘““We (DER) contacted
Harveys Lake borough officials and
told them ‘of the lifting of the
swimming advisory,” Carmen con-
tinued. ‘‘We also advised them
(Harveys Lake officials) to go
ahead with plans to set up their
water quality advisory committee in
order to do testing on a weekly
basis.”
Carmon said that the Wilkes-
Barre DER agency ‘doesn’t have
the luxury to use the many man-
hours needed to do further testing at
the lake,”
According to Carmon, the best
solution is for borough officials to
study the lake on a weekly basis
and to keep a watch out for recur-
ring algae levels.
“DER,” said Carmon last week,
‘is about to close the loop off,” in
terms of testing at Harveys Lake.
DER, however, has notified borough
officials that it will be available for
future consultation if needed. |
Harveys Lake councilman Ray-
mond Jones told The Dallas Post
ro {
Ho
tised meeting” tonight at the bor-
ough building assembled to appoint
Advisory Council(EAC).
The EAC, Jones said, will be
commissioned to do periodic water
sampling of Harveys Lake and to
determine possible solutions for any
water quality problems. The seven-
(See DER, page 10)
Inside The Post
Calendar .......... 14,15
Classified ..... 16,17,18
Commentary ......... 6
CookbOOK ...............:
Crossword .............
Dear Aunt Patty ....
District Court ........
Obituaries .............
People ................. 8,9
Police Blotter ........ 3
School i........c..ein 13
Sports enesrengasens 13,12,
J i
k [ LEA Ca