Four homes damaged, nine displaced by Mahanoy fire
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Flames vent from the second floor window of 309 West South Street on Dec. 31, 2020.
MAHANOY CITY – Nine people were displaced by a New Year’s Eve blaze that heavily damaged several row homes on West South Street here.
Firefighters were called to the 300 block of West South Street for a house fire around 10:00am.
Mahanoy City Police arrived first on scene, finding heavy fire at the front of 309 West South Street.
A second alarm was struck as firefighters arrived, adding crews from Shenandoah, Englewood, Ryan Township, Tamaqua, Girardville, and Frackville to the call.
“We had heavy fire blowing out when the first crews got here,” Mahanoy City Fire Chief Dan Markiewicz said. “We made a stand there [at 315], cut the roof, and stopped it.”
Markiewicz said the fire started in 309, though the cause is under investigation.
He said homes at 307, 309, 311, and 313 were damaged in the blaze, as well as a Dodge Nitro parked across the street.
Lt. David Truskowsky said that nine people were displaced — three from 315, four from 311, one from 309, and one from 307.
Most of the occupants have places to stay, he said.
Markiewicz said no injuries were reported.
The fire was brought under control in about an hour, and Mahanoy City firefighters remained on scene past noon.
Assisting at the scene were Mahanoy City Police, Mahanoy Township Police, Schuylkill EMS, and Ryan Township Ambulance.
A State Police fire marshal has been called in to investigate.
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