Video: Mayday Called During Pa. Gun Shop Blaze
Firehouse.com Editor's Note: The Republican Herald has reported that one of the injured firefighters partially fell through the floor of the burning building, prompting a Mayday call. The firefighter was quickly rescued and taken to an ambulance where he was treated for non life-threatening injuries.
A four-alarm blaze Thursday night at a gun store in Schuylkill Haven injured two firefighters and destroyed the business in the center of town, according to Schuylkill County 9-1-1 dispatchers.
The fire was reported at 6 at the Schuylkill Gun Works, 20 W. Main St., and quickly escalated to four alarms as ammunition exploded in the building, dispatchers said.
Dozens of firefighters from Berks and Schuylkill counties battled the blaze for about 90 minutes before they controlled it.
Two firefighters suffered unspecified injuries and were taken to a hospital in Pottsville, dispatchers said.
No one was struck by ammunition.
Some nearby buildings sustained fire damage.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Schuylkill Haven fire chief and a state police fire marshal, dispatchers said.
Firefighters were still at the scene putting out hot spots more than four hours after the blaze started.
No damage estimate was available.
The three-story building is in the middle of a row of buildings on Main Street.
According to the company's website, it opened for business in April 2008 and had a large selection of weapons and ammunition.
It was unclear if any customers or employees were in the business when the fire started.
Copyright 2012 - Reading Eagle, Pa.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service