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The fire broke out at the Summy House, 33 South Main Street, Manheim Borough at 5:07 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13, according to borough police.
The fire was in a second-floor room in the historic building that is home to 20 apartments and 22 residents, the police explained in a release that afternoon.
When officers found the room where they believed the fire was coming from, it was locked.
Two officers broke down the door, extracted a woman from the room, and got the remaining apartment residents to safety.
The woman passed away at the scene and one of the officers who attempted to rescue her "was overcome by the smoke and needed treatment for smoke inhalation," the police said.
That officer was taken to a local hospital and has since been released.
The Lancaster County Coroner's Office will release the woman's name after her next of kin is notified.
No other injuries were reported, but the 21 other residents were replaced and assisted by the Red Cross.
The following organizations assisted at the scene which cleared at 10:45 a.m.: Fire Departments: Manheim Hope Fire, Mastersonville Fire, Penryn Fire Gordonville, EMS Rothsville Fire, Brunnerville Fire, Lititz Fire, Mount Joy Fire, East Petersburg Fire, Elizabeth Township Fire, Manheim Township Fire, Hempfield Fire; EMS: NW EMS, Warwick EMS, Penn State; Fire Police: East Petersburg, Manheim, West Hempfield, Mastersonville, Penryn, and Mount Joy.
The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshall is investigating this deadly fire.
"The Summy House, a name that traces back to Simeon Guildford Summy, who in 1876 expanded the former Black Horse Hotel by building next door. The original side was torn down in 1891 and the remaining hotel became known as The Summy House. A series of restaurants have operated out of the building, with two called The Summy House." LNP reported in 2021.
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