Fire crews from Berks and Lancaster counties teamed up to battle a blaze that broke out late Monday at a former furniture store along Route 625 in Brecknock Township.
The fire was discovered shortly before 10 p.m. at the former Griffith & Bixler store, 4444 New Holland Road. After that store closed, the building became a location for David’s Furniture & Interiors, but that business closed down before the fire.
Brandon Zerman, assistant chief of Brecknock Township Fire Company, said a portion of the building was under renovation by the current owner, and another portion was being used for storage by a window-installation company across the street.
Zerman said the first-arriving crews knew they had a battle on their hands and called for additional alarms. The fire had entered the void space between the roof and ceiling.
“It ran the whole roofline,” Zerman said. “That was one of the biggest challenges.”
Crews had difficulty attacking the roof fire because the floor space is divided by many walls, he said.
“We went to a third alarm,” he said. “It was one of the coldest nights we’ve had this year, which slowed the water supply and created icy conditions.”
(Bill Uhrich – Reading Eagle
A former furniture store along Route 625 in Brecknock Township lies damaged Tuesday morning following a three-alarm blaze. (Bill Uhrich – Reading Eagle)
The companies called to the fire worked seamlessly rotating through fire attack, ventilation and overhaul to maintain momentum, he said.
Route 625 was closed until after daybreak between Route 568 and Mifflin Drive.
After nearly six hours of sustained operations, crews brought the fire under control. No injuries were reported.
Crews from the Cumru Township, Spring Township, Exeter Township and Western Berks fire departments assisted Brecknock firefighters along with the Mohnton, Kenhorst, Shillington, Geigertown and Gibraltar fire companies.
They were joined by Lancaster crews from Adamstown, Cocalico, Caernarvon, Bowmansville, Reinholds, Churchtown, Fivepointsville, Martindale and Weaverland Valley.
Canteen units from the Salvation Army in Boyertown and North Penn Goodwill Service in Montgomery County provided volunteers with hot food and drinks.
A state police fire marshal investigated and determined the fire was accidental, but couldn’t pinpoint the precise cause. A damage estimated was unavailable.