PA Crews Play Catchup to Extinguish 3-Alarm House Fire
By Steven Henshaw
Source Reading Eagle, Pa.
A three-alarm fire this morning that started in a vacant north Reading row home under renovation displaced residents of three other homes, city fire officials said.
All on-duty Reading Fire Department personnel, including paramedics and members of the fire marshal's office, responded to battle the blaze at North Sixth and Pike streets. Additionally, personnel from two suburban fire departments, Spring Township and West Reading, responded.
No one was injured.
The initial alarm came in at 7:20 a.m. in the 1400 block of North Sixth Street. As the first crew headed to the scene, they saw a large column of smoke and immediately called for a second alarm. A third alarm was struck soon after because flames had made it to the common hollow space below the roof, making it a very labor-intensive effort to put out the flames.
Crews had most of the flames out in 30 minutes.
Reading Fire Marshal Jeremy L. Searfoss said the firefighters were playing catchup from the beginning because the fire went undiscovered inside the vacant house at 1402A North Sixth. The flames spread to the two adjoining homes as well as 1406 North Sixth.
"The guys did a heckuva job in stopping the fire," Searfoss said. "They were very aggressive."
Fire Chief William I. Stoudt took over command shortly after the multiple alarms.
Residents gathered across the street to watch, many using their smartphones to record the action.
It wasn't immediately clear how many residents were displaced.
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