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Local News Article

Firefighters Face Frigid Cold at East Greenville House Fire

Written by Larry Roeder, Editor
2012-01-23

The temperature hovered around a bone-chilling 19 degrees at 2:17 Tuesday morning when East Greenville firefighters responded to a house fire at 316 Third Street in the borough.

East Greenville Chief Jason Wilson quickly arrived on the scene and reported light smoke coming from the first floor of the rear of the building. The structure is a three-story duplex with homes on the east and west side of the building. The two residents of the home were waiting outside when firefighters arrived.

No one is currently living in the home on the west side.

According to Wilson, the home was equipped with smoke detectors but “they were not working upon firefighters’ arrival.”

The fire spread through the walls to the second floor. Firefighters were able to fight the fire from inside and outside of the home using the compressed air foam (CAF) system from one of East Greenville’s trucks.

Wilson reported that the volunteers used a little over one gallon of the highly efficient fire suppressant, mixed with about 400 gallons of water, to quickly extinguish the bulk of the fire.

Wilson said that the “firefighters had the fire out in less than one hour but were on the scene for about one hour and 40 minutes.” He also stressed that “people should take the time to test their smoke detectors and make sure that they are working.”

According to Montgomery County records the home is owned by Shane Dierolf.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police and East Greenville Borough fire marshals. Wilson said that the fire damage was contained mostly to the exterior at the rear of the building, though there was some smoke and water damage inside.

No damage estimate was available.

Assisting at the scene were units from the Pennsburg, Red Hill and Hereford fire companies. Also assisting at the scene were emergency medical service units from Upper Perkiomen Valley Ambulance.

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