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Pocono News Section
Space Heater May Have Sparked Ashland Fire
Space Heater May Have Sparked Ashland Fire - Thursday, December 3, 2009 at 11:25PM EST
Reported by: Mike Trim
Thursday, Dec 3, 2009 @ 11:25pm EST
ASHLAND, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY -- The main road through Ashland reopened Thursday. It was shut down for hours Wednesday as fire ripped through a city block. Neighbors say a space heater could have caused the fire.
The windows are boarded up at the aftermath of a massive fire in Ashland. A state police fire marshal investigated what caused the fire on Thursday morning.
Patty Valeno says, "I'm just glad everybody is alive. Really because it's heartbreaking now, you know, we lost everything here."
Valeno was bartending at the drunken monkey bar and grill when fire broke out two doors down. It was one of the biggest Ashland Fire Chief Philip Groody has seen in his career.
"The amount of fire the guys were faced with really put up a challenge, which led to a massive mutual aide call. In a sense, the fire went to three alarms," he said.
Crews made sure it didn't spread up and down the whole block. In all eight buildings were damaged and two people were injured.
Firefighters say Robert O'Donnel, Sr. is in critical condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital. His son was treated and released Wednesday.
Fire crews say out of all the homes that were damaged in this fire only one had fire insurance. That's the one that's boarded up where the fire started.
O'Donnel's van was towed away Thursday, another thing damaged in this fire.
Ashland Borough Police are working to secure these homes as traffic is flowing freely again on Centre Street, one day after this block was shut down by fire.
People affected by this fire are still being helped by the Salvation Army. | | |
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