Frank Andruscavage
Republican & Herald, Pottsville, Pa.
(TNS)
Oct. 31—TAMAQUA — A fire Saturday afternoon in the borough's downtown left 13 people homeless and damaged several building on West Broad Street.
Firefighters were called to 117 W. Broad St. just before 4:30 p.m. and found billowing smoke and heavy fire.
In addition to 117 W. Broad St., flames severely damaged the upper floors of 119 and 121-123 W. Broad St. The building at 121-123 W. Broad St. is home to the Mila Buffet restaurant on the first floor.
Over a two-hour period, the flames also spread to the east and damaged a building at 115 W. Broad St., home of Dn'A Bikes on the first floor.
Hoping to stop the fire from spreading, firefighters cut a "trench" in the roof of that building to allow heat and fire to go up into the sky and not into additional buildings.
Other buildings at 109 and 111 W. Broad St. sustained water and smoke damage, while a building at 125 W. Broad St. sustained smoke damage.
Tamaqua Fire Chief James Connely said the investigation is ongoing and no cause has been determined.
Connely said crews from Tamaqua and surrounding companies from Schuylkill and Carbon counties battled the fire for two hours before he declared it under control at 6:28 p.m.
The chief said he declared the fire out at 7 p.m.
Tamaqua Police Chief Michael Hobbs said the 117 W. Broad St. building had a total of six apartments on the second and third floors, while the building at 115 W. Broad St. had one apartment.
In all, 11 adults and two children were displaced, Hobbs said.
The chief said everyone who lived in the 117 W. Broad St. apartments made it out safely, while the occupants of the apartment building above the Dn'A Bikes store were not home at the time of the fire.
Hobbs also said no firefighter injuries were reported.
Connely said that firefighters rescued six dogs, five cats and a ferret. A cat also remains missing, he added.
The chief said that he was told that some of those living in the apartments were administered oxygen by EMS units at the scene, but he has yet to confirm that.
Patricia Daley, disaster captain with the American Red Cross Tri-County Chapter, said Sunday that the organization assisted five families with clothing, food and lodging.
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