NORRISTOWN — Nearly 40 people were displaced Wednesday after a residential fire spread, damaging 10 homes in downtown Norristown, a Montgomery County spokesperson said Thursday.
The circumstances leading to the Thanksgiving Eve blaze in the 700 block of West Lafayette Street remain unclear as 80 firefighters from the Norristown Fire Department and surrounding agencies worked for hours to extinguish the flames.
The incident, classified as a “second-alarm fire,” O’Donnell said, was originally reported around 2:43 p.m. with crews dispatched to the intersection of Lafayette Street and Jamison Alley.
It’s not yet known exactly how long it took to get the fire under control. Norristown Fire Chief Tom O’Donnell told MediaNews Group late Wednesday afternoon that an evacuation center had been established at the nearby Hancock Fire Company on Airy Street.
There were 39 people from 11 families impacted by the fire, according to a Montgomery County spokesperson. Coordination efforts between the American Red Cross, Norristown and the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety continued Thursday.
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Of those displaced, 17 people went to a temporary shelter at Blockson Middle School ” per an American Red Cross spokesperson.
“Along with our community partners, we’re providing comfort and care – including a safe place [for] rest, meal and snacks, and other support services— for those who are displaced by Wednesday evening’s fire on the 700 block of West Lafayette Street in Norristown. The shelter remains open for those who need it,” an American Red Cross spokesperson said in a statement.
Three of the 10 homes impacted by Wednesday’s fire were deemed to be “severely damaged,” O’Donnell said Wednesday.
Those interested in assisting the displaced families were encouraged to donate to the Ebenezer Foundation, according to a county spokesperson, who added a fundraising goal of $11,000 was set to provide each of the 11 families with $1,000. For more information, visit ebnezerfoundation.godaddysites.com.
A Montgomery County spokesperson also discouraged residents from dropping off physical donations to the shelter.
“The temporary shelter is unable to accept any further physical items at this time,” the spokesperson said.
