'It Was Kind of a Nightmare':
Firefighters Battle 2 Blazes
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
No people were hurt but one kitten died, one apartment building is destroyed and two more are damaged as a result of two fires at about the same time in one Congress Street neighborhood this morning.
"It was kind of a nightmare," says Bradford City Fire Department Lt. Chris Angell.
They got the first call for a fire at 42 Elm Street at just before 7 a.m., and Angell says they called a second alarm before they even got to the scene because he could see the smoke.
"The entire rear of the house was engulfed … there was smoke coming from every window," he said.
They weren't able to save that building but were able to save the building "two feet away."
"With the help of Bradford Township, 87 (Congress Street) had some minor damage, but we basically saved it," Angell said.
The apartment building, owned by Edna Hallock, has addresses of 42 Elm Street and 85 Congress Street.
Lt. Mike Scrivo says that while they were still working on that fire, and trying to save the other building, a passerby told them there was another fire at 23 Tibbitts Avenue.
That was at about 8:20 a.m.
"With two going at once, we knew we needed help," Angell said.
Scrivo says the majority of the damage at the Tibbitts Avenue fire was limited to one apartment although the other two did have smoke and water damage.
He says they were able to pull a mother cat and four kittens from the fire. One of the kittens died, but the other three are in "pretty good" shape and the mother is "great." They were taken to the McKean County SPCA.
Scrivo says the Red Cross is helping the families.
Besides Bradford Township, city firefighters were also assisted at the scenes by Derrick City and Lewis Run firefighters. The departments from Corydon and Lafayette townships were on standby.
In all, about 40 firefighters were on the scenes. They were at Tibbitts Avenue for about 2 ½ hours and Elm/Congress Street for about 5 ½ hours.
A state police fire marshal is investigating.
City officials say the Elm Streeet building is scheduled for emergency demolition tomorrow.
WESB/WBRR News Director
No people were hurt but one kitten died, one apartment building is destroyed and two more are damaged as a result of two fires at about the same time in one Congress Street neighborhood this morning.
"It was kind of a nightmare," says Bradford City Fire Department Lt. Chris Angell.
They got the first call for a fire at 42 Elm Street at just before 7 a.m., and Angell says they called a second alarm before they even got to the scene because he could see the smoke.
"The entire rear of the house was engulfed … there was smoke coming from every window," he said.
They weren't able to save that building but were able to save the building "two feet away."
"With the help of Bradford Township, 87 (Congress Street) had some minor damage, but we basically saved it," Angell said.
The apartment building, owned by Edna Hallock, has addresses of 42 Elm Street and 85 Congress Street.
Lt. Mike Scrivo says that while they were still working on that fire, and trying to save the other building, a passerby told them there was another fire at 23 Tibbitts Avenue.
That was at about 8:20 a.m.
"With two going at once, we knew we needed help," Angell said.
Scrivo says the majority of the damage at the Tibbitts Avenue fire was limited to one apartment although the other two did have smoke and water damage.
He says they were able to pull a mother cat and four kittens from the fire. One of the kittens died, but the other three are in "pretty good" shape and the mother is "great." They were taken to the McKean County SPCA.
Scrivo says the Red Cross is helping the families.
Besides Bradford Township, city firefighters were also assisted at the scenes by Derrick City and Lewis Run firefighters. The departments from Corydon and Lafayette townships were on standby.
In all, about 40 firefighters were on the scenes. They were at Tibbitts Avenue for about 2 ½ hours and Elm/Congress Street for about 5 ½ hours.
A state police fire marshal is investigating.
City officials say the Elm Streeet building is scheduled for emergency demolition tomorrow.
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