A couple's wedding day was salvaged thanks to the efforts of Pennsylvania crews who battled a fire that destroyed the guest house of a historic hotel resort Thursday.
The fire broke out at about 8 p.m. in a nine-room carriage house at the Normandy Farm Hotel in Blue Bell, WPVI-TV reports. Caitlin Kerezsi had been preparing for her wedding Friday at the resort, and at the time of the fire, the guest house was housing many of her belongings, including her dress and other items for the big day.
Even though the fire gutted the building—the property's original carriage house that dates back to the 1800s when the resort was just an inn—firefighters were able to save Kerezsi's items still inside.
"The dresses were in there, and the firefighters did an incredible job," Kerezsi, who was eating at a restaurant across the street when the fire started, told WPVI. "They got everything out. Got the dresses out, my brother-in-law's suit, luggage, money for (Friday), they got it all out."
Crews eventually were able to put out the flames, and no injuries were reported during the call. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
After the pandemic forced her to reschedule her wedding from March of last year, Kerezsi was grateful that firefighters were able to save her belongings, and, ultimately, her entire wedding. She said the ceremony was still set to to be held Friday despite the fire.
"If they had lost their dresses, it would have been a real disaster," Bud Hansen, the resort's owner, told WPVI, adding that he thought the carriage house was a total loss.
