Three people and a dog were displaced by a house fire in Cressona Tuesday afternoon.
Firefighters responded to a call at 29 Pottsville St. in Cressona at around 5 p.m. Tuesday. Heavy smoke greeted fire crews upon their arrival.
Cressona Fire Chief Dennis Snyder says the adult male resident was home at the time. An adult woman and a teenager also resided in the home, which is situated just off the busy intersection of Pottsville and Sillyman streets.
No injuries to the residents or firefighters were reported.
Firefighters from Cressona, Schuylkill Haven, Pottsville, Pine Grove, and Landingville were called to the scene. The fire was deemed under control at about 5:45 p.m.
Snyder believes the fire may have started in the living room but that information and a confirmation of what started Tuesday’s blaze are pending an investigation by a State Police Fire Marshal.
The home was ruled uninhabitable with heavy damage visible to the interior and rear exterior.
The timing of Tuesday’s incident made accessing the fire scene somewhat difficult but Snyder says motorists did a good job of getting out the way of first responders. At that time of day, the main intersection of Cressona is easily one of the busiest in Schuylkill County.
Traffic was rerouted around the area and that caused some minor delays. Fire police blocked incoming traffic on Pottsville St. at the Cressona Mall Burger King. Motorists were also turned back at the small bridge over Sillyman St., near Cressona Borough Hall, and at the Cressona Post Office.
American Red Cross is assisting those displaced by Tuesday’s fire.
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