Oct. 9—MAHANOY CITY — A raging fire Friday night gutted two homes and severely damaged the top floor of an apartment building, leaving seven families homeless.

Firefighters were dispatched at 7:52 p.m. after the Schuylkill County 911 Center began receiving multiple calls about a house fire at 132 E. Mahanoy Ave.

Before the fire was brought under control around 10:30 p.m., flames destroyed that home and a home at 134 E. Mahanoy Ave., before spreading to the three-floor apartment building at 136-138 E. Mahanoy Ave.

Mahanoy City Fire Chief Dan Markiewicz said firefighters were met with a large amount of fire to the rear of the 132 E. Mahanoy Ave. home that was starting to spread.

"We had heavy fire in 132 (E. Mahanoy Ave.) starting to run the roof lines to the east," he said.

To the west of the home was an empty lot that the chief said saved a home at 128 E. Mahanoy Ave. That home sustained damage to vinyl siding, which melted from the heat.

"We got a break to the west because of the empty lot, or the fire could have gone that way also," he said.

Markiewicz said Mahanoy City EMS and Mahanoy City police officers worked quickly to evacuate residents of the apartment building that consisted of between six and eight units.

"EMS and the police were instrumental in getting everyone out quickly," he said.

Firefighters arriving on scene also assisted, the chief said.

Markiewicz said those displaced by the fire — everyone in the apartment building and residents of 132 and 134 E. Mahanoy Ave. — were assisted by the American Red Cross Tri County Chapter with food, clothing and shelter.

The chief said he did not know the exact number of people displaced, saying the last number he heard was 12. The information was also not available from the Red Cross.

Arriving on scene, Markiewicz said, firefighters were initially overwhelmed at the magnitude of the flames, but they quickly began battling the fire.

"We were behind the eight ball for a short time," he said.

Markiewicz said the fire went three alarms, bringing in firefighters from numerous surrounding communities as well as EMS units, local police departments and a tanker task force.

The chief said he called for the tanker task force to help offset the large amount of water being used from the fire hydrant system.

No firefighter or civilian injuries were reported.

"That's the main thing. No one was hurt," Markiewicz. "The training kicked in and everyone went home."

The cause of the fire has not been determined. An investigation is underway by borough police, fire officials and state police fire marshals Troopers John Burns of the Frackville station and Joseph Hall of the Reading station.

Markiewicz said officials narrowed the location of where the fire originated to the rear, kitchen area of 132 E. Mahanoy Ave.

That home, the chief said, was in the process of being renovated.

Markiewicz said the time of day the fire happened also helped because firefighters were home or out nearby, which enabled them to respond quickly.

"Manpower was not an issue," he said. "If this would have been during the day when people were working it could have been an entirely different story."

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