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City on fire

City Hook and Ladder station has attic fire

Sentinel photo by BRADLEY KREITZER
Firefighters work at clearing away a section of the City Hook and Ladder roof to get to the fire underneath Monday evening on Valley Street in Lewistown.

LEWISTOWN — A fire in the attic portion of the City Hook and Ladder Fire Company kept Lewistown firefighters busy Monday afternoon.

The fire was reported to the Mifflin County Emergency Communications Center from Bob Barlett, fire chief for the Lewistown Borough Fire Department, after a bystander knocked on his door.

The fire was located at 317 Valley St., the City Hook and Ladder fire station.

“Someone knocked on my door and said the fire house is smoking,” Barlett said. “I looked out my door and saw a piece of metal hitting a wire and then saw the smoke.”

He dispatched for the fire shortly after Barlett said he saw flames showing through the edge of the roof and the wall of the station. All three fire companies — City Hook and Ladder, Brooklyn and United Fire and Rescue — responded quickly to the fire.

Power lines slowed the attempts of firefighters accessing the fire. Barlett called Penelec to the area of the 300 block of Valley Street and traffic lights were shut off from Electric Avenue and Ort Valley Road, through Valley Street and Pine Street.

The majority of fire damage to the building was contained to the attic area, but there was some fire and water damage to the executive offices. Barlett said the Board of Trustees was evaluating the damage.

Barlett said he believes the fire was started by a piece of metal on the building hitting wires, but called the Lewistown Fire Investigator Mike Force to the scene to determine the cause.

A majority of the fire was fought through the roof, which was recently renovated. Tarps were put over the holes to prevent damage from the Monday night storm.

None of the fire equipment at the station sustained damage and no one was injured.

In addition to the three borough companies, firefighters from East Derry and West Granville also responded. Fame EMS provided medical attention and water to the firefighters. Traffic was controlled by Mifflin County Fire Police.

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