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Wednesday, feb 26
Tag:
Reading Fire Department
News
Structural Issues A Factor In Cleanup Of Lincoln Chemical Fire Site, Says Reading Mayor
(Note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Reading Mayor Eddie Moran's Office.) As authorities work to investigate the cause of the two fires at Reading's Lincoln Chemical building, safety concerns regarding the building's structure are the main priority, Mayor Eddie Moran said in a press conference on Friday, Nov. 9. The former home of Lincoln Chemical, 600 S. 9th St., caught fire on the third floor on Oct. 31 and then again on Nov. 2, Daily Voice reported. Both blazes remain under investigation. As a result of the fires, there are now "some concerns with the struct…
Police & Fire
Reading Officials ID Teen Victim, Reveal Cause Of Deadly Fire
Authorities in Reading have identified the 13-year-old girl killed in a two-alarm house fire early on Saturday, Jan. 21. Empressi Martin was sleeping on the third floor at 630 Summit Avenue when the fire began just after 4 a.m., the city Fire Department said in a statement. Her cause of death was determined to be smoke inhalation, they added. Firefighters also identified the 56-year-old man who was badly burned in the blaze as David Martin. He was rescued from the home's basement and remains at Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest in critical condition with smoke inhalation and burns,…
Police & Fire
Reading Christmas Tradition Returns With A New Twist For 2022
For many years, Reading area families watched the lights on the city's iconic Pagoda flash on and off on Christmas Eve to help guide Santa Claus to Pretzel City. That tradition will return in 2022, but with some changes due to ongoing renovations at the Pagoda, Mayor Eddie Moran announced in a release Tuesday, Dec. 20. This year, Reading families are asked to blink their Christmas lights at home at 9 p.m. sharp on Saturday, Dec. 24. “Traditions are important to honor and pass on from generation to generation, and if there is one thing my mother taught me, it is …
Obituaries
Suburban Philly Firefighter, Paramedic Dies Of
Covid-
19 Complications
A suburban Philadelphia firefighter and paramedic died Monday of COVID-19 complications. The Royersford Fire Department announced the sudden death of Michael Lessar in a Facebook post Tuesday morning. Our thoughts are with the Lessar family as we remember the contributions and service dedicated to the Spring-Ford community and our country. Posted by Royersford Fire Department on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 Lessar joined the department in 2018, after previously working for the Reading Fire Department and serving in the United States Army, the post reads. He was remembered as a catalyst …
Police & Fire
Support Surges For Grieving Dad Following Reading House Fire
Support is surging for a Reading family who lost three of its own along with their belongings in a blaze earlier this week. More than $11,500 had been raised as of Saturday on a GoFundMe for Aaron "Ace" Torres, mourning the loss of his partner, Catherine Torres, and two of their kids. Catherine, 32, and 9-year-old Christian Torres died of burns and smoke inhalation following the blaze at 936 Muhlenberg St., Thursday morning, the Reading Fire Department said. Firefighters arrived at 9:41 a.m. to find the 2.5-story building ravaged by flames that had spread rapidly from the downstairs kitche…
Police & Fire
2 Drivers Hospitalized In Multi-Car Crash In Reading
Two drivers were hospitalized in a multi-vehicle crash last week in Reading, authorities said. Crews were dispatched around 5:45 a.m. on July 9 to South 6th and Cherry Streets to find one car on its side with the driver trapped, according to the Reading Fire Department. Hydraulic rescue tools were used to stabilize the car and safely extricate the trapped driver by 6:11 a.m., authorities said. Both drivers were taken by EMS to an area hospital for medical treatment.
Police & Fire
Crews Battling 2 Alarm Fire At Abandoned Home In Reading Discover Marijuana Grow Operation
Crews battling a two-alarm fire at an abandoned home in Reading, also discovered a marijuana grow operation in a nearby damaged building Thursday night, authorities said. Crews responding to a call reporting a fire with two adults and three to four children trapped were told by neighbors once they arrived at 211 Hudson Street around 9:45 p.m. that all occupants were able to make it out before their arrival, Reading Fire Department said. Several handlines were stretched through the burning building and up through the roof, authorities said. During the overhaul, firefighters found a ma…
Police & Fire
Tractor-Trailer Driver Loses Control, Hits Cars In Reading
The driver of a tractor-trailer lost control while driving down a street in Reading (Berks County) Monday afternoon, authorities said. When crews arrived, they confirmed that a tractor-trailer hauling gas cylinders hit several parked cars in the 1200 block of Schuylkill Avenue, according to the Reading Fire Department. Fortunately, there were no injuries to the driver or any bystanders. No further information was available.
Police & Fire
2 Rescued From Flooded Railroad Underpass In Reading
Two people were rescued from a railroad underpass in Reading when their vehicles got stuck in flood water Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. As Lt. Zulick with the Office of the Fire Marshal was driving in the area during heavy rain showers, he noticed that the Spring Street Subway was actively flooding around 2:30 p.m., according to the Reading Fire Department. Investigating further, he discovered that there were two passenger cars stranded in the rising waters and requested rescue crews at the scene, authorities said. With rising waters reaching approximately three and a half feet whe…
Police & Fire
Reading Family Displaced Following Damaging Row House Blaze
A family was left displaced after their house suffered serious damage in a fire that also spread to a neighboring home early Thursday morning, authorities said. Firefighters arrived on the scene to find smoke and heavy fire in the back of a three-story middle-of-the-row home on North 5th Street around 4:15 a.m., according to the Reading Fire Department. While crews were knocking down the flames, they found no occupants inside the home, aside from a dog, whom they freed, authorities said. A neighboring home also suffered damage on the exterior back walls, authorities said. There were no in…
Police & Fire
Update
: Reading Ambulance Thief Leads Pursuit, Crashes In Strasburg
A thief who stole a Reading ambulance from the scene of an incident led a brief police pursuit before crashing in Strasburg, authorities said. EMS personnel on the scene of a medical call at the Kennedy Senior Center on 4th Street were leaving the building with the packaged patient when they realized the rig had been stolen around 11:30 a.m., Reading Fire Chief William I. Stoudt, Jr. said. Focusing on their duty, paramedics reported the incident and requested another unit to transport their patient. Sometime around 1 p.m., an off-duty Reading fire department member spotted the ambulan…
Police & Fire
Update
: Stolen Reading Ambulance Thief Leads Pursuit, Crashes In Strasburg
A thief who stole a Reading ambulance from the scene of an incident led a brief police pursuit before crashing in Strasburg, authorities said. EMS personnel on the scene of a medical call at the Kennedy Senior Center on 4th Street were leaving the building with the packaged patient when they realized the rig had been stolen around 11:30 a.m., Reading Fire Chief William I. Stoudt, Jr. said. Focusing on their duty, paramedics reported the incident and requested another unit to transport their patient. Sometime around 1 p.m., an off-duty Reading fire department member spotted the ambulan…
Police & Fire
Firefighters Battle Rowhouse Blaze In Reading
Firefighters battled a rowhouse blaze in Reading Monday evening, authorities said. Crews arrived at a home on Chesnut Street to find a 2.5 story house with fire showing on the second floor around 6 p.m., according to the Reading Fire Department. Crews extinguished the blaze by stretching a hose line through the front door, authorities said. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Office of the Fire Marshal.
Police & Fire
Family Displaced, 1 Dog Dead In Reading House Fire
A family was displaced following a fire that ravaged their Reading home, killing their dog, authorities said. Fire crews arrived to find a fire showing from the third floor of the Locust Street home just after 3 a.m. Thursday, according to Reading Fire Department. The family was able to escape the flames uninjured before firefighters found their deceased dog, authorities said. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire by opening up the roof of the home nearly an hour after arrival, authorities said. Red Cross was called to assist the family with essential needs and housing, authoritie…
Police & Fire
Reading Firefighters Rescue Unconcious Woman From House
Reading firefighters rescued an unconscious woman from a smoke-filled house Friday morning, authorities said. Fire crews arrived to find the Spring Street house on fire with smoke showing from the front door and basement around 9 a.m., according to Reading Fire Department. While firefighters were extinguishing the fire in the basement, an unconscious woman was found on the 2nd floor, authorities said. Crews quickly freed the woman and transferred her to EMS for medical treatment. Her condition is unknown. The Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze.
Police & Fire
Reading Family Displaced Following Late Night Roof Fire In 2.5 Story Home
A Reading family has been displaced from their home after a roof fire damaged their 2 and a half story home late Monday night, authorities said. When local firefighters arrived at a home on Church Street around 11:25 p.m., they found that the blaze had advanced to the 2nd floor where the fire was found to have entered the void spaces in the back wall and was traveling vertically, according to Reading Fire Department. Crews operating on the 3rd floor found fire running the peak of the roof, authorities said. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in the attic around 11:50 p.m. b…
Police & Fire
Reading Firefighters Tackle Early Morning Storage Shed Blaze
Reading firefighters tackled a blaze that broke out in a storage shed early Monday morning, authorities said. Fire crews were dispatched to Route 625 Storage on New Holland Road for multiple calls reporting fire from a storage shed around 5:40 a.m., according to Reading Fire Department. Upon arrival, firefighters found that three units were on fire, and gained entry into the units to further extinguish the heavy blaze, authorities said. Crews utilized four hoses to extinguish the fire which was placed under control around 6:10 a.m., authorities said. No injuries were reported. …
Police & Fire
Extricated Driver Dies, Another Injured In Reading Crash
One driver died and another was injured in a Monday night Reading crash, authorities said. Both cars had sustained side-impact damage, while nearby cars sustained minor damage, in the 10 p.m. collision at North 11th & Robeson Street, according to the Reading Fire Department. Crews arriving at the scene extricated one unconscious driver, who was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The other driver was hospitalized for treatment of unknown injuries after freeing him or herself, authorities said.
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