11 homeless in Lansford apartment blaze

A raging inferno destroyed an apartment building in downtown Lansford early this morning and heavily damaged a neighboring building.

The fire happened at about 4:20 a.m. in a three-story structure at East Ridge and Tunnel Street. Firefighters said when they arrived at the scene, heavy flames already were shooting from windows. Within minutes, the fire broke through the roof.

Eleven people were left homeless. Two cats reportedly died.

All the apartments were on the second and third floor of the structure. The apartment was equipped with smoke alarms, which is credited with likely saving the lives of the tenants, letting them safely escape.

The first floor of the apartment building houses an office, reportedly occupied by a real estate firm.

A two-story building only a few feet away on East Ridge caught fire but the flames were extinguished before it was destroyed. That building reportedly houses Mary Demanovich’s Barber Shop on the first floor, but apartments on the second floor are vacant, according to police.

About 60 firefighters from eight communities responded. They are Lansford, Coaldale, Summit Hill, Tamaqua, Nesquehoning, Mahoning Township, Tuscarora and a Rapid Response Team from Weatherly.

Lehighton Fire Department stood by in Nesquehoning and Mahanoy City firefighters were at the Coaldale Fire Station. While in Coaldale, the Mahanoy firefighters responded to a chimney fire in the community.

Lansford Fire Chief Joseph Greco said he arrived on the scene within about three minutes of the alarm. He said flames were shooting out the fifth and sixth windows on the Tunnel Street side of the building. “They quickly extended to the third floor,” he said. “They got up on the third floor and ran the whole building.”

Assistant Chief Ronald Hood said it appears its origin was in the middle of the second floor, based on photos he saw that were taken early. He said the state police fire marshal was summoned to investigate.

Two responders from the Tuscarora Fire Department were transported to a hospital for smoke inhalation, Hood said.

The fire marshal at the scene is Jamie Sgarlat of the Hazleton barracks of the state police.

He is hoping to conclude his investigation today so that demolition can begin on the building.

Lansford Borough Council President Bruce Markovich said the borough’s engineer was summoned to the scene to determine if demolition can begin today.

The engineer, Corey Parry of Lehigh Engineering, will inspect the building and determine if it is unsafe to remain standing.

The first responder at the scene of the blaze was Lansford Police officer Jason Helmer, who helped to make sure everyone was out of the structure.

One of the residents, Alyssa Zellner, resides on the rear of the top floor with her boyfriend Eric Burdick. Zellner said she was awakened by someone screaming, “Fire, fire!”

Then she heard smoke alarms.

She and Burdick managed to locate their pet cat, and by the time they were leaving the building, she said thick, black smoke was filling the halls.

She escaped with only what she was wearing.

She phoned her father, Mike Zellner, who lives about two blocks away. Mike said when he got to the scene within minutes, the flames were already rolling from the structure.

“It was bad,” he said. “It was really bad. Flames were coming out the roof. It really took off.”

The Red Cross was at the scene to assist victims.

Lehighton and Mahoning Township Ambulance Corps also responded. Crowd and traffic control was handled by local fire police. Firefighters remained on the scene throughout the morning.