Ethan Crist and his landscaping business, Cutting Edge, were devastated by a two-alarm fire on Sunday morning at 281 River Road, just outside the borough of Jersey Shore. The blaze caused significant damage to Crist’s home and business, posing a challenge for recovery and rebuilding.
The fire broke out around 7:10 a.m., with no one injured but smoke that drifted east for several miles. Residents in the city’s Newberry neighborhood even reported smelling it. Crist, who lived alone, was not home when the fire started and had many of his trucks and equipment on the first floor where he also lived on the upper floor.
Family members rushed to the scene as there were frantic moments when it was feared that Crist may have been trapped inside the burning building. However, Crist was out running errands without his cellphone, making it difficult for his mother to reach him. When he arrived at the scene, firefighters were already battling the blaze under the direction of Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Mitchell from Citizens Hose.
Firefighters initially attempted an interior attack but were forced out by the intensity of the fire. Soon after they exited the building,
