Pocono News Section

Old Llewellyn Hotel Gutted by Arson

Old Llewellyn Hotel Gutted by Arson - Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 12:19PM EST

LLEWELLYN, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY- A State Police Fire Marshal has ruled an overnight fire in Schuylkill County a case of arson. The blaze destroyed an old hotel in the Village of Llewellyn that had been empty for decades.
A burned out shell is all that remains of the old Llewellyn Hotel. The building, at the corner of Phoenix Park Road and Route 209, caught fire just before 2:00 A. M. Mark Oshman with the Llewellyn Good Intent Hose Company said, “I was the first one on scene here and the building was fully involved when I got here."

Crews battled the flames for two hours. While the hotel itself is gutted, firefighters were able to save a neighboring home that was just 10 feet away. That homes belongs to Peter Schultz. “There's water damage. They pretty-well hosed the house down while it was burning," he told Eyewitness News.

At least one firefighter was hurt fighting the flames. He was taken to the hospital, but will be okay.

People in town say the old hotel had been vacant for the last 20 years. It also used to be an old bar room. “We're very fortunate we made a stop. We only lost one structure. I'm very happy to say our guys did our job," said Oshman.

As for what happens next, officials say the building will have to come down. It’s in danger of collapsing. Llewellyn Hose Company Chief Mike Pothering said, “Right now, the status of the building is in such bad shape with the walls no structurally sound anymore, somehow we're gonna have to get this torn down."

This is the second fire in Llewellyn in the last six months. The other blaze was also ruled arson.