Pennsylvania Firefighter Injured in Partial Floor Collapse
Source Reading Eagle, Pa.
Three city firefighters were injured and a family of five was displaced Thursday night when a two-alarm blaze destroyed two row houses at Seventh and Pine streets, officials said.
The injured firefighters, whose names were not released, were taken to Reading Hospital.
Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Serba said one suffered a leg wound when the floor partially collapsed below him. Another injured his shoulder moving a hose into the building. And a third suffered an irregular heartbeat.
The fire started about 7 at a vacant row house at 346 S. Seventh St. and spread to an adjacent row home at 649 Pine St. before firefighters arrived.
"We had heavy fire on the first and second floors when we arrived and the fire had already extended to the house on Pine Street," Serba said.
The family who lives in the house on Pine Street got out safely, he said.
All city firefighters who were on duty responded and battled the blaze for an hour before it was under control.
"It was a very labor intensive fire with fire all in the walls and the roof," Serba said.
Firefighters had to pull down the walls and ceiling in the house on Seventh Street and cut open the rooftop of both buildings.
"They (the firefighters) did a fantastic job and the new fire chief was there and made that comment," Serba said, referring to David W. Hollinger, who takes over next month.
The Berks County Chapter, American Red Cross, is assisting the family that was displaced.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the city fire marshal's office.
Serba estimated total damage to the two buildings at about $35,000.
Copyright 2012 - Reading Eagle, Pa.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
