Dozens Displaced by Apartment Fire
By: Jasmine Brooks
Updated: January 20, 2013
Scranton, Lackawanna County- A charred window is evidence of the fire that forced a mass evacuation of just under 100 people at United House Apartments in Scranton. The fire at Pine Street and North Washington Avenue broke out around 9am inside an 8th floor unit. Evacuees, like William Martinek, were immediately invited next door to the Bethal A.M.E. Church. William heard the fire alarms go off, and was then greeted at the door by fire fighters. "When I got out of the shower, the fireman said you got to get out, so I got out. I've been sitting here for about five hours now." he says. William's apartment sits directly underneath the one that caught fire. "In the hallway, the ceiling is down because the sprinklers went off. When that goes on, it causes more damage than the fire sometimes." he adds. Thankfully the church opened its' doors to all the tenants."I told them that everyone can come in and get out of the cold." says Rev. Bailey. The American Red Cross set up an emergency shelter inside the former Bishop Hannan High School just hours after the fire. About 30 people are expected to be staying there until they are allowed back inside their apartments. "We'll be providing food, we will have health service people here for people who have medical issues related to that." says, June Ejk from the American Red Cross. No tenants were injured in Sunday's fire, but three fire fighters had to be treated for minor injuries. Those staying at the shelter will be there at least over night. Staff from the United House Apartments declined to comment.
