On Saturday March 15, 2003 at 0623 hours, a box alarm was pulled from the street at Front and Chestnut Streets, while at the same time numerous calls were placed to the 9-1-1 Center reporting a working structure fire.
Cressona Fire District 41 Stations 1 & 2 and Schuylkill Haven Fire Department Stations 1 & 4 were dispatched.
Cressona Chief 41 arrived on scene to find heavy smoke and fire coming from a multiple story apartment building. Cressona Engine 41-12 pulled a hand line to protect the structure to the rear of the apartment building.
Schuylkill Haven Assistant Chief 722 ordered Liberty Fire Company 4 and Engine 737 to pull hand lines and attack the fire to the rear of the apartment building. Ladder 725 was to ladder the north side of the building.
Chief 41 was informed of a missing person who lived in the building and was not accounted for. At that time Chief 41 requested another ladder truck from the city of Pottsville and the cities F.A.S.T. Team.
Ladder 51 from Pottsville Laddered the South side of the building and Liberty Wagon 736 laid a 5" supply line from a hydrant and supplied ladder 51 with water and supplied more hand lines.
Firefighters from Pottsville found the victim in a second floor apartment. Schuylkill Haven and Orwigsburg EMS stood by at the scene.
A State Fire Marshal was requested to the scene.
The fire was placed under control at approximately 0900 hours.
