10 people displaced by accidental 4-alarm fire in West York

An overnight fire in the 1200 block of West Poplar Street in West York caused damaged to several row homes. (Ted Czech -- Daily Record/Sunday News )

Tuesday night update

An early morning fire, which began at 1211 W. Poplar St. and damaged four homes and displaced 10 residents, was deemed accidental.

West York Reliance Fire Chief Ed Washington said the blaze started due to an electrical issue involving a surge protector, which was being used along with an extension cord.

Restoration will be required throughout the third floor of the four-home row including extensive work in homes 1209, 1211 and 1213, Washington said. There was minimal damage to home 1215, he added.

The cause of the fire was determined during an investigation by a state fire marshal, Washington said.

Original report

Thomas Shortlidge said that just after 3 a.m. Tuesday, he was sleeping when he heard a noise outside and someone yell "fire."

Shortlidge, along with wife Cathy Cramer, and a friend who was staying with them, Barbara Hinton, ran out of the home at 1215 W. Poplar St., carrying their four birds, two dogs and one cat.

"I wasn't so upset at first," Shortlidge said, having endured two fires in York in the past. "I'm more concerned about the emotional damage to my very close neighbors. They're very close friends of mine, almost family."

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10 people displaced by accidental 4-alarm fire in West York