Niles family is uninjured after fire starts in home

Niles family is uninjured after fire starts in home

NILES – A West State Street family escaped injury when fire broke out in the kitchen of their home early Friday.

“There could have been a family that may not have awakened,” said fire Capt. Randy Ciminero of the blaze at the Eric Clark home at 219 W. State St.

Ciminero said Clark and his three children – ages 3 to 9 – were not injured even though a smoke alarm wasn’t functioning because it didn’t have any batteries. It was the only detector in the house.

Clark heard some banging in the kitchen shortly before 2:30 a.m. He got the children out of the house, the captain said.

The fire that broke out in the refrigerator of the two-story frame home caused $12,500 damage.

Ciminero said there is no reason for city residents not to have smoke alarms because the fire department provides them for free.

2-car crash kills woman

PULASKI, Pa. — A woman was killed in a two-car accident, Northwest Lawrence County Regional Police reported.

The accident happened at 10 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of Pa. Route 208 and Mercer Street in Pulaski, police said.

Charlotte Abranovich, 80, of Cambridge Street, New Castle, was killed when her car collided with one driven by Sydney Cuscino, 18, of Wagon Wheel Court, Pulaski.

Cuscino suffered minor injuries.

Cuscino was eastbound on Route 208 and was making a left turn onto Mercer Street, police said, while Abranovich was westbound on the highway.

Abranovich was taken to Jameson Health Center in New Castle, then to a Pittsburgh hospital, police said. They were notified by the Allegheny County Coroner’s office around 5 p.m. that she had died, they said.

Block watch meeting

YOUNGSTOWN — Residents of Dickson, Samuel and Mabel streets in the city’s 7th Ward are invited to a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday at 2001 South Ave. to discuss the creation of a neighborhood block watch.

Leetonia road work is set

LEETONIA— Beginning Monday, several streets in the village will be under construction.

Paving will be done on Main Street from Washington Street to state Route 344 and on Washington Street from Main Street to Oak Street.

The total project costs $101,000, $90,000 of which was funded through a grant from the Columbiana County Engineer’s office and the Ohio Public Works Program.

Motorists are asked to avoid the areas Monday and Tuesday if possible or expect delays.

Man charged with stealing scrap metal for resale

YOUNGSTOWN — Kenneth E. Heriot of Verona Avenue has been accused of taking scrap from a demolition site at Ross Industrial Park on Albert Street and taking it to Youngstown Iron and Metal on Division Street to sell, police said.

A worker at the demolition site, part of an old steel mill, saw Heriot’s truck speed away Thursday with a bed full of I-beams, cast-iron elbows and light fixtures, police said. The worker notified his boss, who followed the truck to the scrapyard and detained Heriot for police.

Heriot, 47, was arraigned Friday in municipal court on charges of theft and possessing criminal tools.

Police said Heriot had three tool boxes, a duffle bag full of wrenches, screwdrivers, hacksaws, sockets, rope and various other tools for dismantling heavy metal items.

The scrap he intended to sell was loaded back in his truck, and the vehicle was towed away to be held as evidence.

He will be back in court Aug. 19 for a preliminary hearing.

Center meeting planned

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Historical Center of Industry Labor will have an organizational meeting for its “Friends of the Museum” group at 7 p.m. Monday at the museum, 151 W. Wood St. (across from St. Columba Cathedral).

Anyone who is interested in promoting this local site is welcome and should plan to attend.

For more information, contact the museum at (330) 743-5934.