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Firefighters respond to a fire at 305 Howard Ave. shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday in Pottsville. Jacqueline Dormer/staff photo Charred items sit outside 305 Howard Ave., Pottsville, after a fire Saturday morning.

A 19-year-old girl was attacked with a machete, a 17-year-old abducted and a house set on fire by Stephen S. Campion, who was later arrested, police allege.

The fire broke out Saturday morning at 305 Howard Ave., Pottsville.

"When we got here, there was heavy fire in the basement and heavy smoke" in the rest of the building, Pottsville fire Chief Todd March said at the scene.

A supervisor with the Schuylkill County Communications Center said a call was received at 5:43 a.m.

"A female called in to say she was stabbed and the house was on fire," the supervisor said.

Campion, 20, of Pottsville, has been charged with seven felonies: criminal attempt-criminal homicide; aggravated assault; arson-danger of death or bodily injury; causing a catastrophe; aggravated assault; arson endangering property-reckless endangerment of inhabited buildings; criminal mischief-damage property intent, reckless or negligence, and two misdemeanors, terroristic threats with intent to terrorize another and simple assault, according to court documents.

He was arraigned at 6:42 p.m. by Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, and sent to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $250,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. Wednesday at the office of Magisterial District Judge James K. Reiley, Pottsville.

Pottsville police Capt. Richard Wojciechowsky said Campion was taken into custody on the Burma Road outside of Saint Clair.

"We received information that he was in the Saint Clair area on foot," he said, adding Campion did not resist arrest when found.

Wojciechowsky didn't say what department or agency found Campion and that the man did not want to speak with police about the events of the morning.

Wojciechowsky said Campion assaulted the 19-year-old, whom police did not name, with a machete, which was recovered at the scene with other items after a search warrant was issued by Bayer's office. The woman also suffered injuries from the fire, he said, saying she had "multiple injuries as a result of the attack by the machete and the fire."

She was listed in stable condition after being transported to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street and then to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Wojciechowsky said.

He said the woman injured was the same woman who called 911.

Later Saturday morning, police learned a 17-year-old girl was abducted from the house by Campion.

That information was previously withheld, Wojciechowsky said.

He said the 17-year-old girl did not live at the address but was visiting Campion, who lives there, he said.

"They have an on-again, off-again relationship" he said.

An Amber Child Abduction Alert was issued for the Pottsville Police Department by the Pennsylvania State Police.

"She was forced to go with him," Wojciechowsky said.

The alert was canceled after the girl was returned to her house by someone not associated with the events, he said.

March said there were between six and nine people in the home, however, he did not have names.

March said he got called at 6:40 a.m. for the fire, which was contained to the basement. A cause has not yet been determined and damage estimates are not yet available.

"It's under investigation right now exactly what happened," March said.

The fire was doused in 15 minutes, he said.

March said there are "no working smoke alarms in the building again." The house is a private residence.

On May 12, a fire at 235 Pierce St. in the city claimed the lives of six people, four children and two adults.

There were no working smoke alarms in that house. The house fire was fully involved when the firefighters got there.

Some of the home's residents were standing outside with a blanket draped over their shoulders. They declined to give their full names but said they were OK.

"I don't really know much. They woke me up," a woman named Tracy, who lived at the house, said.

She said her fiance woke her up.

Officer Joe Murton Jr. with the Pottsville Police Department said he got called at 6:19 a.m. and arrived on scene shortly thereafter. He said nine people were staying at the house. He declined to provide names because not all were contacted yet.

"It was chaos when we got here," he said.

George Stefnic, city assistant fire chief, said people were in the street yelling there was possibly someone inside.

A primary and secondary search was conducted.

"No one was found. The person wasn't there," he said.

Tim Firestone, readiness and response manager for Red Cross of Schuylkill County, said clothing, food and lodging assistance was provided to six adults living at the house. Firestone said it was his understanding that six people lived at the house and the other three were just visiting.

He was called at 6:43 a.m. for the fire, which he did not see when he arrived on scene.

"It was a good stop by the fire department" considering the close proximity other buildings, he said.

A woman who did not live at the house but stood nearby is thankful that no one was injured.

"Thank God it wasn't another Pierce Street," she said.

The Pottsville Fire Department responded to the scene, along with the Pottsville Police Department, the Schuylkill Haven Rapid Intervention Team, the Pottsville-Schuylkill Haven Area EMS and fire police.