More than two-dozen residents were evacuated from their East Hempfield Township apartment complex Friday night because of a fire, but it was the sprinkler system that caused a bigger problem.
Firefighters responded to an automatic fire alarm call from the Elizabeth Street building around 5 p.m. Friday. They said the fire started above the fourth floor in a crawl space and activated the sprinklers. The sprinkler system put out the fire, but it malfunctioned and caused water to flow down through the walls and into apartments on the lower floors.
No one was hurt in the building, which mostly houses senior citizens. The Red Cross handed out comfort kits and helped one resident find shelter. The other residents are staying with family and friends. There is no word on when the residents will be allowed to return to their apartments or why the sprinkler system malfunctioned.
