Reading PA Fire Department

Box 134 was struck this afternoon at 1605 for a reported structure fire at 416 So. 7th Street, reports stated flames and smoke coming from a rear window. Engines 5, 1, 9, Ladders 1 and 3, Rescue 1, Medic 603 and Cars 1 and 3 responded.

Engine 5 arrived on location and reported a smoke condition in the building. A line was stretched to a rear room on the second floor. Visible fire was quickly extinguished but the smoke continued push from an outside wall.

The wall was opened up and fire was found traveling upward inside the wall. The fire burned through the wall to the outside and began to burn the primary electric service that ran down the outside wall. The wall material was completely removed and the fire was extinguished. Crews overhauled the rear storage room and the room below.

The building, which is the home of the South of Penn 55+ Senior citizen Association, was filled with smoke and received considerable water damage. Firefighters cleared the smoke and wrapped up in just over an hour. The fire is under investigation and there were no reported injuries.

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