Liberty Hose Co. No. 2 - Incident Detail #1606

A Fire occurred in the barn owned by Edwin Kerstetter, east of Wiconisco, on the morning of Friday, March 30, 1934. It was discovered by several men who were driving to their employment at the Williamstown colliery. They awakened the Kerstetter family, who lived opposite the barn on the other side of the highway. Upon their arrival at the barn, 13 head of cattle and six horses were removed. To the alarm for help, the fire companies of Williamstown, Wiconisco, and Lykens responded. The flames were extinguished before serious damage resulted.

Addition Notes:
This was the second barn fire east of Wiconisco that morning. The Wiconisco fire company responded to an earlier barn fire but was unable to save the building or content of lumber, a loss of $700. The two fires were a result of arson. Clarence Travits, age 25, from near Williamstown was charged with the crime.