Fire burns Aqua garage downtown

KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Firefighters at the scene of a garage fire on North Ferguson Street in Shenandoah on Nov. 1, 2023.

SHENANDOAH – Flames damaged one of the Aqua Pennsylvania distribution garages in downtown Shenandoah Wednesday afternoon.

The garage in the 100 block of North Ferguson Street is one of two where the water company’s field workers are based out of. One is cinderblock, and one is brick.

KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL – Girardville and Mahanoy City firefighters operate inside the Aqua garage.

Shenandoah Fire Chief Rick Examitas said crews arrived to find heavy fire inside the cinderblock garage, which was knocked down within about 20 minutes.

No workers were inside the garage at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported.

Examitas said a second alarm was struck for manpower due to the time of day, bringing crews from as far as Pottsville to the scene.

He said the majority of the damage was kept to the cinderblock garage.

KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL – A pair of Pottsville firefighters walk towards the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and a State Police fire marshal has been called in.

Fire apparatus was also staged on North Jardin Street and row homes were evacuated in that block due to the proximity of the rear of the garage to the homes.

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