At least four people are homeless after a fire Wednesday night in Tamaqua caused by a kerosene heater.

Tamaqua Fire Chief James Connely said the fire started in the basement of 33 N. Railroad St. and spread to 35 N. Railroad St. He said 31 and 33 are a duplex house.

Connely said a woman who lived at 33 N. Railroad St. told police she accidentally knocked over the kerosene heater in the basement where the fire originated.

He said the woman tried to pick up the heater and got burned, which he described as a “sunburn.” She refused treatment, he said.

A man at 33 N. Railroad St. said he had trouble breathing but EMS looked at him. He declined to be evaluated at a hospital.

Connely said 33 N. Railroad St. had a working smoke alarm on the second floor but the occupants escaped after smelling the smoke.

He does not know if 31 N. Railroad St. had working smoke alarms.

He spoke with Stewart Muffley, the owner of 35 N. Railroad St., which was unoccupied and had no contents.

Connely said Muffley has insurance for the damages estimated at $20,000. The home had one smoke detector, but he does not know if it was working.

Patty Daley, disaster responder with the American Red Cross, said three adults were assisted at 31 N. Railroad St. Two adults and a child who resided at 33 N. Railroad St. were provided help. Food, lodging and clothing were provided.

The Tamaqua Police Department was first to arrive on scene for the working fire with reported entrapment, which was unfounded after firefighters conducted a search.

Firefighters staged a defensive attack on the fire due to weather conditions.

“It was very windy. The wind kind of helped push the fire,” Connely said.

The fire was under control at 10:30 p.m.

He said 31 and 33 N. Railroad St, which are uninsured are owned by Harold Hill, are a “total loss.”

He estimated the damage to each property at $10,000.

The fire at 35 N. Railroad St. was quickly extinguished and involved damage to the roof, vinyl siding, electrical, telephone, cable wiring and smoke and water damage, which he estimated at $7,000. He hasn’t spoken to the property owner.

Connely said four adults and one juvenile were at 33 N. Railroad St. at the time of the fire. The juvenile was visiting, he said.

Seven adults were inside 31 N. Railroad St. He does not know how many lived there. None of the tenants have renters insurance, Connely said.

Assisting the Tamaqua Police Department were the Tamaqua Police Department, Tamaqua EMS, Coaldale Fire Department, Carbon County Rapid Intervention Team (Lansford and Summit Hill Fire Departments), Mahanoy City and Pottsville Rapid Intervention Teams.

On Thursday, the Red Cross was trying to contact other tenants and asked anyone who was affected by the fire to call 1-800-Red Cross.