A dozen cats and a dog perished in a house fire over the weekend that temporarily displaced two Fleetwood households and sent three people, including a firefighter, to the hospital, the borough fire chief said Monday.
The fire was discovered shortly before 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the 300 block of East Washington Street. Initial 911 calls indicated someone may have been trapped inside, but everyone was out when crews arrived, Fleetwood Fire Company Chief John Manmiller said.
The couple who live in the house that was on fire made the initial 911 call, the chief said. The homeowner’s boyfriend had briefly re-entered the home to try to rescue the animals, many that were in crates, which is why callers initially reported someone may have been inside.
The couple were taken by ambulance to Lehigh Valley Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. A firefighter suffered a medical emergency while on the roof and was taken down by other firefighters, including those on the rapid-intervention team that was standing by to rescue firefighters if needed.
All three patients spent the night in the hospital’s burn unit where they received specialized treatment for smoke inhalation, Manmiller said.
The fire was contained to the house, although the intense heat melted the siding of the adjoining home and caused smoke damage that rendered that residence uninhabitable as well.
Manmiller said the walls of both homes consisted of concrete blocks clad with vinyl on the exterior. The lack of wood construction meant the fire was burning contents almost exclusively, but it held heat like an incinerator.
“It was really multiple rooms with contents,” Manmiller said, describing the fire. “It was very intense.”
Firefighters mounted an interior attack and searched both floors for occupants.
Several Fleetwood Fire Company volunteers were attending the final day of a training course in Kutztown when the alarm came in. Others responded within minutes.
The rest of the Fleetwood volunteers and personnel from the Kutztown, Topton and Lyons fire companies responded directly from class in Kutztown. They joined crews at the scene from Blandon and Walnuttown fire companies.
Manmiller said the interior of the fire building was gutted, but the block structure was intact. He didn’t know if the house, which is quite old, will be rebuilt.
The couple who resides there were staying with family members, the chief said. The neighbor will be able to return after the smoke damage is remediated, he said.
A state police fire marshal assisted borough fire investigators in determining the cause, which was electrical in nature and ruled accidental, Manmiller said.
Damage estimates were unavailable.
