Pocono News Section

Fire In Tamaqua Intentionally Set

Fire In Tamaqua Intentionally Set - Friday, February 15, 2008 at 4:17PM EST

Reported by: Jill Konopka
Friday, Feb 15, 2008 @04:17pm EST
(Nanticoke/Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County) A fire that heavily damaged a well known Schuylkill County bar was set on purpose. That's the word from investigators. Flames broke out at the "Hang Loose Bar" in Tamaqua, just after 3:30 Friday morning. Tamaqua Fire Fighters tackled a suspicious fire inside the old rafferty's bar... Recently re-modeled as "hang loose" around 3:30 friday morning... The call came in not long after the bar tender closed down for the night. Stephen Stef was there hours earlier, celebrating his girlfriends birthday. Stephen Stef added, "It's like a second home, come over here hang out and relax. It's a cozy relaxing place, it was a business that was just on the rise.))" Tamaqua Fire Chief Thomas Hartz, Jr. said, "We spoke to the owner of the bar, the last person that left was at 2:30 last night, bar tender have her coming back for an interview." Fire crews say the flames started on the second floor and spread. Chief Hartz, Jr. added, "Heavy fire between the two structures, second flood. Guys made an aggressive interior attack, knocked it down good." In the process a few firefighters slipped and fell. One was taken to the hospital for a minor knee injury. The fire along East Broad and Greenwood Streets also prompted authorities to evacuate neighbors.. Just in case. Diane Hannon was one of them... Hannon added, "The entire back of house had orange glow, couldn't tell there were major problems.")) A State Police Fire Marshall is investigating. Local authorities say they recently found a few problems in a new social spot. Chief Hartz, Junior added, "They had dances and a poker table up there, it's a pretty big open space, code enforcement did shut down the upstairs and because rear fire illegal did find numerous allegations." . One female firefighter was injured,when she slipped on the ice... If you have any information, you're asked to call state police at the Fackville Barracks at (570) 874-5300.