Lightning strike suspected cause of fire report
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Fire apparatus at the scene of a reported building fire in downtown Mahanoy City on August 7, 2020.
MAHANOY CITY – A lightning strike is the suspected cause of a bang and subsequent smoke which prompted a fire report Friday afternoon.
Firefighters were called to the unit block of East Centre Street in downtown Mahanoy City for reports of a building fire just before 2:30pm.
A caller reported hearing a loud bang, and a subsequent smoke condition from the VFW building at the corner of Centre and First Streets as a thunderstorm passed through the valley. The caller added that the smoke condition was quickly obscured by the rainfall.
Mahanoy City firefighters responded, finding no smoke condition, and, after a top-to-bottom search of the building, no fire.
Fire officials suspect the cause of the incident was a lightning strike.
Firefighters were clear of the scene by 3:00pm.
Assisting the Mahanoy City Fire Department was Mahanoy City EMS and Mahanoy City Police.
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