Cat perishes in Ashland fire; 16 displaced, bystander injured, says fire official
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Flames and smoke vent through the roof of 426 Centre Street in Ashland as firefighters attempt to contain the blaze on Sept. 14, 2020.
ASHLAND – Fire ripped through a pair of downtown apartment buildings and damaged a third in this borough Monday afternoon.
Fire broke out just before 2:30pm in the 400 block of Centre Street in Ashland.
Assistant Fire Chief Charles Orth was among the first to respond, seeing a column of smoke from the area of Nineteenth Street.
He struck a second and third alarm in short order, finding heavy smoke and significant fire in the breezeway between 426 Centre Street and 420 Centre Street.
Orth said the quick upgrade to a third alarm was driven by a need for manpower.
“We’re just like every other community. I get where I see smoke showing, I’m hitting the second alarm right away,” Orth said. “And third alarm brings in Mahanoy City and Shenandoah for their trucks, which is key. I was able to get four trucks in operation in a short distance and that really helped.”
“A hell of a job done by the guys, that’s all I can say,” Orth added.
Firefighters from across northern Schuylkill and southern Columbia and Northumberland Counties were brought to the scene. A tanker task force was called automatically, a safety measure put in place when a water main broke on Route 61 south of Ashland.
Orth said that, thankfully, the task force was not needed, as the borough water system was able to supply what was needed, but he was glad to have that safety measure in place.
He added that a bystander was injured and transported to Geisinger via Area Services EMS. He did not know the person’s condition.
The fire was brought under control by about 3:30pm, followed by an extensive overhaul until about 6:00pm.
Orth added that a cat in one of the apartment buildings perished.
Sixteen people are will be displaced from the three damaged buildings. 426 and 420 Centre Street suffered extensive fire damage, which began to spread into the roof of 416 Centre, which was brought under control but damage and venting measures will temporarily displace the residents.
Firefighters from Ashland, Girardville, Mahanoy City, Gordon, Beaverdale, Mount Carmel, Kulpmont, Pottsville, Ringtown, Aristes, Englewood, William Penn, and more responded to the scene along with Girardville and Ashland Police, and Shenandoah, Mahanoy City, Area Services, and Ashland EMS.
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Thank God for all the brave firefighters. You all are heros!
In some ways we are fortunate that the fire companies are volenteer. Simply because they have a personal interest in what they do
….it’s not a job to them….it’s a necessary service to the community that drives them. A sincere desire to help their friends and neighbors in the most valuable way protecting their friends lives and property….AWESOME JOB GENTELMAN….WITH OUT YOUR DEDICATION IT WOULDNT BE AS SAFE AS IT IS