Flames decimated a remote West Penn Township home Friday afternoon, leaving the property owner with non-life threatening injuries.

The incident started as a brush fire, but within minutes, the fire jumped to a garage and home at 77 Skyline Lane, New Ringgold.

Connor Evans, assistant chief of the West Penn Fire Company No. 1, was the first to arrive.

“It took about 10 or 15 minutes to get here,” because of the rural location, he said. “I was about five minutes out when it was upgraded to a structure fire.”

When he crested a hill in his brush truck, Evans saw that the garage was engulfed in flames, and the fire had spread to what he described as an upgraded mobile home.

“At least I could try to do something. At least I could make a quick hit on it if I could,” Evans said.

By that time, emergency responders from communities near and far were on their way.

Tanker trucks were needed to shuttle water to the home, which sits at the end of a narrow and winding dirt road.

“I believe there are almost 15 tankers involved with this now,” Evans said.

Tankers parked along Route 443, which is also Clamtown Road. They took turns shuttling water to the site and helping to fill 1,500 gallon portable snap tanks.

New Ringgold Fire Company junior firefighter Alex Bluge helped with the tanks.

“They can’t seem to get enough water,” said Bluge, 15.

Ladder trucks from Tamaqua and Coaldale to attacked the fire from above.

By 3:30 p.m., the garage was leveled and the home was a shell. A nearby parked car was destroyed and a recreational vehicle was singed. A burn barrel sat to the rear of the home.

Personnel stayed on the scene until around 5:30 p.m., dousing hot spots as they flared up.

“It was a very stubborn fire due to the access,” he said. “That was our biggest issue.”

West Penn Fire Chief Jeff Bedford confirmed that a male homeowner was taken for treatment for burns he suffered during the incident.

The fire is under investigation.

The American Red Cross arrived to assist victims.

Responders included personnel from West Penn Township, New Ringgold, Tamaqua, Coaldale, McAdoo, Mahoning Valley, Lynnport, New Tripoli, Deer Lake, New England Valley, West Brunswick Township, Landingville, Kempton, and the Pennsylvania Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry. Area fire police slowed traffic on Route 443 to allow tankers to enter Skyline Lane.