It’s been almost 4½ years since an arson at the Shamokin Dunkin’ Donuts (or “Donitz”) severely damaged and closed the business.
But it wasn’t the actual event that grabbed the attention of so many people. It was the WNEP-TV report on the arson that people still talk about today. To this day, it’s still mentioned at least once a week on Twitter from people who couldn’t point to Shamokin on a map.
There’s good reason. The story is rather unforgettable.
So much happening in 144 seconds of that video. Where do you begin? Is it:
- The name of Shamokin’s police chief?
- What sort of legal work was Dutch getting done at a Dunkin’ Donuts?
- Cold coffee?
- What the heck is happening at that Turkey Hill?
The legacy of this video may never go away. There’s been a spin-off rap by Dutch, himself (definitely NSFW). It’s been mixed and remixed and the subject of YouTuber analysis.
One day, they may have to build a statue honoring that WNEP report on the Shamokin Dunkin’ fire.
Wilkes-Barre Dunkin’ Donuts on WNEP
Well, there may be a contender in the WNEP Dunkin’ reports war. Actually, this video can’t hold a candle to the Shamokin Dunkin’ Donuts video.
Oooh, hold a candle to it? Too soon.
It looks like “The News Station” found some disgruntled shoppers in downtown Wilkes-Barre who were unhappy that a local “Dunkin'” was closed for some unknown reason.
The thing we gathered from this newer report is the attire. You can’t tell it’s False Spring because in the video, you have one guy wearing a winter jacket, other folks wearing shorts, and two ladies wearing pre-winter gear but it’s unzipped.
It almost seems like they’re trying to re-create the Shamokin Dunkin’ Donuts video. Here’s video of the report, as shared by Twitter user @spellbound76:
Channel 16 and Dunkin stories are perfect for each other pic.twitter.com/rBEpM11c75
— pat (@spellbound76) March 2, 2021
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Ryles
March 2, 2021 at 5:35 pm
You could probably do a field of 64 channel 16 videos of “man on the street” interviews in the Region. Whenever there’s a fire, our towns’ “best & brightest” gravitate to the camera. Never ceases to amaze me.
Canary Commenter
March 2, 2021 at 6:05 pm
That’s a pretty great idea!
Ryles
March 7, 2021 at 12:31 pm
It’d be hard to top the Shamokin Dunkin video but I’ll keep my eyes open.