United States (Pennsylvania) - Franklin Township Fire Chief Donald Stranger Sr. and local firefighter William J. Haney of Monroeton have pleaded not guilty to the summary offense of disorderly conduct, according to the Towanda District Court. The charges stem from their actions at a house fire on Jan. 31 in Monroe Township, state police at Towanda said.

Because the fire took place in Monroe Township, which is the jurisdiction of the Monroe Hose Company, Monroe Hose Company Fire Chief Paul Bump was in charge of the firefighting operations at the scene, said Richard Vargson, second assistant fire chief of the Monroe Hose Company.

Stranger, 61, was cited for disorderly conduct after he "failed to comply with multiple commands from state police regarding safety at a scene of a structure fire," according to a copy of the citation that was filed against him in Towanda District Court.

Haney, 35, was cited for disorderly conduct because, "during a volatile situation at the scene of a structure fire, Haney entered a police vehicle without authorization," according to a copy of the citation that was filed against him in Towanda District Court.

The fire took place at the home of 35-year-old Dale Stranger, who is both the assistant chief of the Franklin Township Fire Company and the son of Donald Stranger.

Dale Stranger, who was not satisfied with the way the Monroe Hose Company was putting out the fire, interfered with members of the Monroe Hose Company as they worked at the fire scene, state police said.

Dale Stranger, who yelled and shouted at the firefighters at the scene, was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, state police at Towanda said.

A hearing on the disorderly conduct charge against Donald Stranger will take place Friday before Towanda Magisterial District Judge Timothy Clark.

A hearing on the disorderly conduct charge against Haney will take place on March 23 before Judge Clark.

Dale Stranger must face his disorderly conduct charge at a preliminary hearing before Clark on Friday.

Written by The Daily Review