Multiple Families Displaced by Sunday Morning Fires in Pottstown

Mulitple families were displaced on Sunday morning as a pair of fires destroyed two homes and damaged another.

The first fire began shortly after 7 a.m. in a three-story home at the intersection of Union Alley and the 300 block of Evans Street. The home's owner, Edward Spence, stated that the fire began after Spence's son left the stove unattended while cooking french fries, according to a report by NBC10.

The fire then quickly spread throughout the home, triggering a second alarm and forcing emergency crews to request additional manpower to battle the blaze.

“I wanted to get the fire out, but I couldn't do it so the next thing was to get everybody out of the house and everyone is safe and nobody got hurt,” said Spence, in an interview with NBC10.com.

No one was injured by the fire, but as many as 16 people were displaced, according to a report by the Pottstown Mercury. The report also states that Pottstown Fire Chief Richard Lengel described the building as a total loss.

Members of the American Red Cross of Southeaster Pennsylvania arrived a short time later, providing clothing, food and lodging for six adults and five children.

The Pottstown Fire Department was again dispatched just four hours later, after a report of a second fire in a two-story home on the 800 block of Feist Avenue. A report by Daily Local News described the second incident as a "relatively small" fire in the basement of the dwelling, but a large amount of smoke damaged the home and rendered it uninhabitable.

In the Daily's report, Chief Lengel stated he believed the second fire was caused by a problem with the home's heating system.

As a result, the home's owners – Lester and Jill Christman – along with their 9-year-old daughter, will stay with Jill's sister until the family can plan their next step, the report states.

Units from Pottstown, West End, Collegeville and Sanatoga fire companies responded to both fire calls, while members of Ringing Hill, New Hanover and Gilbertsville fire companies covered station duties during the second call, the report states.

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