Ridge Fire Company - House Fire 1/18/2009 Mercury 1/20/2009 Artucle</tile>   <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">      } } if (document.all) window.onscroll = floatButton; else setInterval ('floatButton()', 100); function initButton () { if (document.all) { document.all.topButton.style.pixelLeft = (document.body.clientWidth - 70) - document.all.topButton.offsetWidth;  document.all.topButton.style.visibility = 'visible'; } else if (document.layers) { document.topButton.left = window.innerWidth - document.topButton.clip.width - 15; document.topButton.visibility = 'show'; } else if (document.getElementById) { document.getElementById('topButton').style.left = (document.body.clientWidth - 70) + 'px';  document.getElementById('topButton').style.visibility = 'visible'; } } // End --> </script>  </head> <body onLoad="initButton()" background="images/Fire_20080118_faded.gif"> <b>  <SPAN ID="topButton" STYLE="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; top: 0px;"> <A HREF="javascript: window.scrollTo(0, 0); void 0" ONMOUSEOVER="window.status = 'top'; return true;" ONMOUSEOUT="window.status = ''; return true;">Top</A> </SPAN>   <center> <form><input type="button" value="Print this page " onclick="window.print();return false;" /> <input type="button" value="Close this page" onclick="window.close()"> </form> </center>  <center><h1>Fire levels former OJR superintendent's home</h1></center> <font size="4"> <p>Tuesday, January 20, 2009 6:49 AM EST<br> By Michael P. Rellahan, Special to The Mercury <img src="images/pottsmerc-small.png"></p> <p>WARWICK — A quick-moving fire destroyed the home of former Owen J. Roberts School Superintendent Karen Florentine late Sunday night. </p> <p> The 2 1/2-story house on Victoria Chase Drive was fully involved with fire when firefighters arrived on scene shortly after getting the fire call at 11:34 p.m., according to Ridge Fire Company Chief Joel McMillan,</p> <p>Although the cause of the blaze is under investigation by state and Chester County fire marshals, McMillan said the fire is believed to have started on an outside porch.</p> <p>The fire moved quickly through the home, but did not endanger Florentine, who was home alone with three or four dogs, McMillan said. All escaped safely.</p> <p>“I guess it’s just the way houses are built today,” McMillan said of the fast-burning nature of the fire.</p> <p>The 50 to 60 firefighters who responded to the call were able to save only about three-quarters of the garage. “That was about it,” he said.</p> <p>Fire companies had to truck water in tankers into the remote area, which is just outside St. Peters Village, because no fire hydrants are available in that area. McMillan estimated that the firefighters poured about 40,000 gallons of water on the blaze.</p> <p>“That’s an issue we always have to deal with,” he said of the lack of hydrants. McMillan estimated the loss as $500,000 for the home, a wood and vinyl siding building, and $250,000 for its contents.</p> <p>The firefighters battled the fire for about 90 minutes after arriving, and were back on station at about 5 a.m. Monday.</p> <p>Ridge Fire Company was assisted by units from Twin Valley, Norco, Ludwig’s Corner, Spring City and Kimberton fire companies from Chester County, and Montgomery County’s Linfield Fire Company, and Berks County’s Churchtown Fire Company.</p> <p>Florentine served as superintendent at Owen J. Roberts School District from 2001 to June 2005. Prior to that, Florentine worked as the district’s director of personnel and curriculum.</p> <p>She now is employed as director of human services for Chester County government.</p> <p>Current school district board member Karen Zelley worked with Florentine during her four-plus years as superintendent.</p> <p>“I was shocked when someone told me,” Zelley said about the fire. “I’m thankful that Dr. Florentine and her dogs were not injured.”</p> <p>Zelley heard from a mutual friend that one of Florentine’s dogs alerted her to the fire.</p> <p>Florentine is known in the area for her show dogs. She is a co-owner of a Bouvier des Flandres named Sierra and a English Cocker Spaniel named Roadie. She attended the 2008 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York, Mercury archives show.</p> <p>She has also did some dog breeding several years ago.</p> </font> </b> </body> </html>