"A Total Loss"

At roughly 6:15 p.m. Saturday, North Coventry Township Police Chief Robert Schurr provided details of a fire at Valley View Apartments, 604 W. Schuylkill Rd. in North Coventry Township.

The fire -- which is believed to have started accidentally on the second floor of the three-story apartment building -- was dispatched at 1:14 p.m. Saturday, Norco's fire chief arrived at 1:15 p.m. and the first truck, from Norco, was on the scene at 1:18 p.m. At that time the fire reached four alarms.

Schurr said 15 fire companies and roughly 150 firefighters, most of them volunteers, battled the blaze. 

No one was injured in the fire, but a pet cat was killed, he said.

Schurr said 31 residents, including two children, are displaced from the fire.

"It looks like the building is a total loss," Schurr said.

Damage to the building is estimated at $1.5 million and $500,000 in contents. 

Animals rescued by firefighters included a dog, a ferret and a turtle.

The investigation into the fire is being conducted by the North Coventry fire marshal with assistance from state police and Chester County fire marshal offices.