POTTSTOWN, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — One person was killed in a row home fire early Monday morning, the Pottstown Fire Department has confirmed.
Four others were able to escape. One person jumped from a second-story window onto a van parked below. They are getting treatment at the hospital. Their condition has not been released.
Pottstown Fire Chief Frank Hand says the fire started around 2 a.m. and was brought under control within a couple of hours. He said, originally, one person was unaccounted for. Firefighters had only a small window to get to the victim, but the situation got more dangerous, he said.
“They went in, made entry, but then the roof started to collapse. So we had to pull people out, our firefighters out,” Hand said. “They made a gallant effort to get in there. I mean, it was a tough firefight. But they went in and did the best they could for a few minutes.”
After fire crews were able to enter the building safely, they were able to determine that the person trapped inside did not survive. That victim has not yet been identified.
Related
The fire marshal and Pottstown Police Department are investigating the fire. The brick duplex, on Chestnut Street near Charlotte Street in Pottstown, is separated into apartments on the inside.
Tony, who escaped with his girlfriend and son from an apartment in the front part of the building, said the smoke woke him up.
“It just smelled dangerous,” said Tony, who did not give his last name. “So I tapped her and said, ‘Let's go. There's a fire.’ And then I grabbed my son, and we came down the steps. And I was going to try to start throwing stuff out the door, and — that fast — the whole house was engulfed.”
Related
Fire also spread to the house next door. The three people there were able to get out safely. One man who spoke to KYW Newsradio credits a barking dog for their escape. He said he heard the dog going nuts below, he was able to wake everyone up and get them out of the building.
With below-freezing temperatures, there was ice on the street. One firefighter slipped and is getting treatment as well.
Fire officials have not said yet if there were working smoke detectors in the duplex at the time of the fire. That, and the cause of the blaze, are part of the investigation.
Related
