Two people were displaced after an early morning fire in Pottsville.
Firefighters from Pottsville and the Schuylkill Haven Rapid Intervention Team were dispatched at 4:02 a.m. to 319 N. Ninth St. for a house fire.
Crews arrived within minutes and found heavy smoke at the home and 321 N. Ninth St., Pottsville First Assistant Chief Jim Misstishin said.
“The origin of the fire was in the kitchen area,” he said, declining to elaborate. “Right now, it’s under investigation.”
Along with the kitchen area in the first floor rear, it spread to the living quarters and spread up the stairs to part of the second floor. The damage was estimated about $47,000, he said.
The house at 321 sustained smoke and water damage. Firefighters had to make a hole in the roof to vent the heat and the smoke. Misstishin said the damage there is between $20,000 and $25,000.
Fire was also visible on the side of 319 near the street. Misstishin said it was contained to 319 with 321 sustaining smoke damage.
Misstishin, and two fire investigators, Mike Stank and Joe Murton VI also investigated the fire.
No one was injured in the fire, he said.
According to the Schuylkill County Parcel Locator, Christopher Yoder and Bonnie J. Roeder own the house at 319, and Robert Bedford owns 321.
Yoder said he was not home at the time of the fire. Misstishin said Yoder lives in Saint Clair.
“A friend called me,” Yoder said, adding he was worried about his cats in the house. Misstishin said three of the four cats were found. The other one could be hiding, he said.
The Pottsville Police Department removed both Robert and Randy Bedford from the home at 321.
“They did a heck of a job, as usual,” Misstishin said of the police department.
As of 6 a.m., Misstishin said both homes were not habitable. He said, the house at 319 was insured but he does not know if the house at 321 was. Firefighters did not hear working smoke detectors upon arrival.
“Neither building had smoke detectors. We could have lost two lives in 321 without the Pottsville Police Department kicking the door in,” Misstishin said.
Free smoke detectors are available at City Hall.
Robert and Randy Bedford are staying with relatives. A newspaper delivery person called 911 about the fire, Misstishin said.
Darrin Rapali, 52, of 900 Mine St., who lives nearby, said a young woman rang his doorbell and screamed “Help Me. Help Me,” at 4 a.m.
He came outside moments later and noticed the firefighters had arrived. He looked outside and saw flames on the side of 319. An employee of PPL shut off the power to 319 at 5:30 a.m.
Firefighters remained on scene until 6:46 a.m.