Fire Damages 2 Homes on Pottsville’s East Side; Firefighter Injured

Fire damaged a pair of adjoining homes on Pottsville’s East Side Wednesday morning. One firefighter was injured battling the blaze.

Some neighbors tell The Canary they heard an explosion and called 9-1-1.

“I was just standing out back, replanting my plants and all of a sudden I hear KABOOM,” Ray Zweizig, who lives behind the affected buildings on E. Market St., tells The Canary. “There was an explosion.”

Pottsville Fire Chief Jim Misstishin isn’t ready to confirm that there was an explosion at the homes – 425 and 427 E. Norwegian St. – but does say that fire heavily damaged 427 and there is moderate-to-heavy fire damage to 425.

“People hear windows pop and say that,” Misstishin says of the reports of a possible explosion. “I was first on the scene and had heavy fire rolling on the second floor (of 427). The window went loose and that popped.”

Fire had already extended to both homes as Misstishin arrived. Damage to both homes was mostly limited to the rear of the buildings.

It’s unknown at which building the fire started.

A firefighter sustained a wrist injury during the incident. He was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-East for treatment.

Patty Daley, from American Red Cross-PA Rivers Chapter was on scene on Wednesday morning’s fire. She said the organization is helping two adults who live at 427 and one adult and three cats living at 425 E. Norwegian St.

Misstishin says one of the cats was rescued from the fire. Another cat is definitely alive but ran as firefighters attempted to retrieve it. A search will continue for the third cat.

A cause of the fire is still under investigation as of Wednesday afternoon.