Man’s Leaf-Burning Set Cornfield on Fire, Police Say

Lower Saucon Township Police say a resident of the 2000 block of Penrose Street was cited for a violation of the township’s burning ordinance, after a fire he lit to burn leaves on the afternoon of Nov. 22 allegedly caused a nearby cornfield along Springtown Hill Road to alight.

In a news release issued Wednesday, police said Richard Hackman, 62, told officers he was burning leaves on his property near the Saucon Valley Compost Center “when the wind picked up, causing hot ashes to ignite the cornfield, which is owned by the Borough of Hellertown.”

Police said Se-Wy-Co, Leithsville and Southeastern volunteer firefighters were called to contain the blaze, which was burning an area approximately 50 feet by 100 feet when they arrived.

The fire was quickly extinguished, police said.