March 20-- Scranton fire inspectors reached a conclusion Thursday on one Wednesday fire, but a second remains undetermined, acting Fire Chief Patrick DeSarno said.
What caused heavy flames and smoke in the first floor of the 8.4-acre Scranton Lace Co. compound on Albright Avenue is undetermined and it may stay that way, Chief DeSarno said. There are simply too many variables to consider before a definitive conclusion can be reached, he said.
Workers were in the building hours before the fire was reported Wednesday afternoon using acetylene and oxygen torches, Deputy Fire Chief Al Lucas said at the scene Wednesday.
Meanwhile, french fries and sausages cooking in the kitchen of 1031 N. Main Ave. sparked a blaze that left nine people displaced after spreading to 1033 N. Main Ave., a connected unit. A parent was watching four children and cooking with a stove and grill at the same time shortly before 6:30 p.m., Chief DeSarno said.
No one was injured in the fire. The American Red Cross of Lackawanna County provided the two families with food, clothing and lodging, the Red Cross said in a release.
The former Scranton Lace Co. building is in the midst of a multimillion-dollar redevelopment into a mixed-use facility. Lace Building Affiliates principal Jody Cordaro could not be reached for comment.
The building has stood for more than a century and was once the nation's largest manufacturer of Nottingham-style lace products, including tablecloths, napkins and curtains. At its peak, the Scranton Lace Co. employed 1,400 people.
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