What a horrible Christmas.

TheHempress · Dec 26, 2003

'My baby died in there'
By Brett Lovelace
Dec 26, 2003, 09:43 EST
Intelligencer Journal

Decorative lights ignited the branches of a Christmas tree early Thursday morning inside a Warwick Township duplex, and the fire swept through the home, killing a family of three.

The rented two-story duplex at 714 Furnace Hills Pike contained no working smoke alarms, fire investigators said.

R. Scott Schoenberger, 37; his wife, Rebecca Lynn, 37; and their 7-year-old daughter, Amanda Lynn, were killed in the 12:55 a.m. fire. All three died of smoke inhalation, Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Barry Walp said.

Walter Talbot, Rebecca Schoenberger's father, called the deaths senseless.

"I keep thinking that if they would've had a working smoke
detector, they would still be alive," said Talbot, of East Lampeter
Township. "This really should've never happened."

Most of the damage was to the first floor of the home. Damage was
estimated at $100,000.

The Schoenbergers were asleep in their second-floor bedrooms when
lights draped on the pine tree heated up dried-out branches and
started the fire, state police Fire Marshal Brian J. Herr said.

Shortly before 1 a.m., a female motorist stopped in the 700 block
of Furnace Hills Pike after seeing smoke billowing from the gray
duplex. She pounded on the door and windows of the burning home
before going next door, where a family of five lived in an
adjoining unit, said Chief Ronald G. Oettel Jr., of Lititz Fire
Company.

Jenna Benjamin, 13, heard the woman yelling "the house is on
fire" outside the first-floor window at 712 Furnace Hill Pike,
Oettel said. The teen woke her parents, Jack and Lisa, brother John
and stepsister, Elizabeth. All five escaped without injury, Oettel
said.

The Benjamins have a smoke detector in the first floor of their
home, but it did not sound during the fire, Oettel said.

When the first crew of firefighters arrived, witnesses told them
they had seen lights in the Schoenberger home before the fire and
that several people might be trapped inside.

About 75 firefighters from seven companies spent 90 minutes
extinguishing the blaze. A crew searched the house and found Scott
and Rebecca Schoenberger dead in their bedroom. Amanda was found in
the bathroom, Oettel said.

"The combination of heat and toxic smoke likely killed them,"
Oettel said. "It appears the fire had smoldered for a while before
spreading through the first floor of the house."

Flames were shooting from the first-floor front window, near
where the pine tree stood surrounded by packages, when firefighters
arrived.

"There is strong evidence that the family had perished before we
were ever dispatched," Oettel said. "Though -- had there been the
proper number of working smoke detectors -- those three people
would've been standing outside watching the fire and likely
thinking about their Christmas going up in ruins."

The only smoke detector found in the home, Oettel said, was lying
on the attic stairs and didn't have a battery.

Amanda was a student at Beck Elementary School in Lititz.

Rebecca Schoenberger worked for Henry Weber Jet Sales Inc. in
Manheim. Scott Schoenberger worked at Burnham Corp. in Lancaster.

A makeshift shrine of three teddy bears, a toy puppy, a wooden
cross and a pot of flowers was placed outside the boarded-up house
Thursday.

Talbot and his son, Scott Talbot, visited the fire scene Thursday
afternoon. They sifted through the debris, which was outlined with
yellow police tape, and looked for anything not burned.

"I was shocked at what I saw," Walter Talbot said. "My baby died
in there."

Mike Travitz of Manheim was married to Rebecca Schoenberger
before the couple divorced nine years ago. They shared custody of
their daughter, Samantha, 11.

"I was supposed to take Sam to see her mom today (Thursday),"
Travitz said. "Sam and Amanda played together all the time and
liked to sled on the hills around Amanda's house. Sam easily
could've been there spending the night when the fire started."

The fire also affected residents of the small community, which is
just a few miles north of Lititz.

John Chant, 62, and his sister, Venit Nolt, 52, live near the
Schoenbergers' home and visited the burned-out duplex Thursday.

"It's awful to look at that place and know that a family was
killed on Christmas morning," Nolt said. "That poor child didn't
get a Christmas. I feel so bad."

The 70-year-old duplex is owned by Charles A. Herr Jr. and his
wife, Debra, of Lititz. The couple also owns Warwick Autopark, 700
Furnace Hills Pike.

The Herrs opened the car dealership early Thursday morning as
shelter for the Benjamins and firefighters. The Susquehanna Valley
Chapter of the American Red Cross provided the Benjamins with
vouchers for food, clothing and lodging.

Oettel said many of the Lititz firefighters met with counselors
from the Lancaster County Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team.
A second debriefing session is scheduled for Monday night.

Some firefighters struggled to cope with the knowledge that the
deaths were preventable, Oettel said. "The mistakes were leaving
the Christmas tree lights on overnight and not having working smoke
detectors," Oettel said. "It's so simple."
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Scott Schoenberger was the guitar player in Fred's band. They were scheduled to play a show on New Year's Eve.

I just smoked with that guy on Tuesday, and now him and his wife (whom I got along with very well) and their little girl are dead.

sidious · Dec 26, 2003

my deepest sympathies hempress........what a tragic loss, and on christmas day.........Peace out........Sid

critter · Dec 26, 2003

Sending all the best grasscity blade karma your way my friend.

Bud Head · Dec 26, 2003

My heart goes out to you and all the family..

I give all the karma and good vibes to ya'll..

highawatha · Dec 27, 2003

such a sad,sad, loss for them and everyone who knew them.
hugs,....
higha

RMJL · Dec 27, 2003

That is horrible. I'm sending ~karma~ your way and to everyone suffering from this tragedy.

TheHempress · Dec 27, 2003

Thanks for the karma everyone

Fred told me the rest of the band still wants to go on...they found a friend of Scott's who plays too to take his place at the show. (I don't know if he will be permanent.) The show will be dedicated to Scott.

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What a horrible Christmas.

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What a horrible Christmas.

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TheHempress Hate You Can Trust
Old School

sidious Old School Stoner
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critter RIP
Old School

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highawatha super girl
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Old School