At 1627 hours Box 37-3 sent Company 37 (Rescue - Susquehanna), 31 (Edgemont), 38 (Dauphin Middle Paxton), Truck 32 (Progress), and Rescue 35 (Linglestown) to 4704 Laurel Drive for a report of a living room fire. Caller reported smoke in the living room related to the fireplace. Chief 37 went on location with smoke showing from an occupied, 2 story, single family dwelling. Engine 37 and Truck 32 set up in the driveway on the A/D side and Engine 37-1 staged at the end of the driveway to set up a portable pond. Engine 38 set up a secondary portable tank. Companies stretched lines into the first and second floors and knocked down the initial bulk of fire. Command 37 requested the first alarm assignment. The fire quickly travelled through the walls and eventually broke through the roof forcing Command to evacuate the structure and request a second alarm for tankers. Master streams and hand lines knocked down the visible fire from the exterior before crews went back to offensive operations. The fire was placed under control in about an hour with extensive overhaul required. The home was extensively damaged and left 3 occupants homeless.