Nov. 23--Firefighters battled a blaze that began about 3:40 p.m. Friday and spread to four homes in the 200 block of Schuylkill Avenue in the Bunker Hill section of Pottsville.
Ten people were displaced by the fire, and four people suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation. One was a firefighter.
All of the victims are being cared for by the American Red Cross.
During a press conference at 7 p.m., Jason Witmier, assistant fire chief for Pottsville, said he believed all those injured were OK, but they had not all been released from the hospital.
He said that the initial report was heavy fire coming out of the area of 217 Schuylkill Ave.
"Firefighters arrived on scene with heavy fire showing," Witmier said. "We made the initial attack, tried to make sure everybody was out of the structure and prevent it from spreading any further at that point."
Witmier said that when they arrived on scene, there was black smoke coming out of all the windows, in addition to the flames showing from the back of the house.
By 4:15 p.m., the fire had spread to four houses, 213, 215, 217 and 219 Schuylkill Ave., and by 5 p.m., it was nearly under control, although there was still heavy smoke coming from the homes.
There was a "major collapse" in 213 Schuylkill Ave. about 6:15 p.m., but all firefighters had been evacuated from that home.
While the fire didn't spread beyond the four homes, Witmier said that the houses on either end, 211 and 221 Schuykill Ave., were evacuated as a precaution.
According to neighbors at the scene, John and David Joy are the occupants of 213 Schuylkill Ave., Leo and Mildred Salle of 215 Schuylkill Ave. and Robert Weiss of 217 Schuylkill Ave.
The occupants of 219 Schuylkill Ave. could not be determined, although they were said to be a family of five with two adults and three children.
At the scene when firefighters first arrived, John Joy could be seen walking around frantically.
"I don't know what to think," Joy said.
Joy's neighbors at Ruby's Kitchen, 212 S. Second St., then invited him in and offered him food and drink.
Robert Petlansky, the son-in-law of Leo and Mildred Salle and uncle of Weiss, said that his in-laws are in their 80s and that Mildred was in the hospital.
"She was actually sitting in the smoke," he said. "She didn't realize the home was on fire. It was friends that actually went in and got her out. She didn't understand that the house was on fire."
Petlansky said that the firefighters "did a very outstanding job."
According to Witmier, there was an initial story that some children were missing, but it was eventually confirmed that all had gotten out safely.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.
"We haven't even begun our investigation," he said. "Pottsville Fire Department along with the Pottsville Police Department will begin an investigation as soon as we clear the scene."
Although it hasn't been confirmed, firefighters said they believe the blaze started in 217 Schuylkill Ave.
At the scene Friday were Pottsville, Minersville, Schuylkill Haven, Saint Clair and Frackville fire companies as well as EMS, American Red Cross and Schuylkill County Emergency Management Agency.
Some fire departments were going to start being released about 7 p.m., but Witmier said firefighters were expected to be at the scene until about 11 p.m. to ensure there were no hot spots so the fire didn't rekindle.
Copyright 2013 - Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
