Authorities investigate two fires in New Castle

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — New Castle firefighters worked on a pair of fires, one arson and the other still under investigation.

Firefighters were called to a duplex at 706 N. Cedar St. at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The upstairs resident, Christa Sadler, noticed smoke in one of her bedrooms, and she and two of her three children were able to escape the flames. The third child had left for school.

A downstairs resident, Darlene Doran, was alerted by a passerby of the fire and got out safely too, firefighters said.

Both residents were given shelter by the American Red Cross. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, but fire Chief Tom Bulisco said it is not considered suspicious.

An earlier fire at 301 Nutt St. is considered arson. A neighbor called firefighters at 5 a.m. Tuesday after seeing flames and smoke coming from a second floor window. Bulisco said they found visible marks where flammable liquid was poured in the house.

The home was unoccupied and is owned by James Tummavichaku, who does not live in New Castle. The Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal was called to investigate.