Gas Station Fire in Old Forge
By: Eric Deabill
Updated: January 23, 2013
UPDATE: Old
Forge, Lackawanna County- A dangerous situation sparked in Lackawanna County
Wednesday as a gas station caught fire around 5:00 p.m. in Old Forge. Everyone
made it out safely but the buiding sustained extensive damage.
The Sunoco gas station on South Main Street in Old Forge sits
right across the street fom Bill and Debbie Dees.
Bill watched it go up in flames around 5:00 Wednesday evening. He
says "I was home. I heard an explosion. I looked and I saw flames coming
up in the garage part. " Bill explains the scene and says "the owner
of the place was out throwing tires out and everything and the next thing it
was really bad." Debbie adds "my biggest concern was my husband and
my house. Was my house still there because I didn't know it was in the garage
area itself."
The fire started inside one of the automotive bays and quickly
spread to the neighboring bays and the attic.
Old Forge Fire Chief Mark Tagliaterra says "I don't know if
it was somebody working on a vehicle. I'm not sure yet. We have to do our
investigation." No one was hurt, but the big concern was obviously the gas
pumps. Bill says "if those gas tanks blew up our house was going with
them." Chief Tagliaterra reassures "the gas pumps actually we had
crews come in they located the emergency shut offs for the pumps so the pumps
were isolated. PPLl also came in and cut the power so there was no problems
with the pumps what so ever."
After nearly 2 hours crews from 13 different fire stations finally
got the fire out. Debbie says "if it weren't for them god only knows what
would have happened." Fire officials are still investigating how the fire
started,
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Old Forge, Lackawanna County- A two alarm fire at a gas station in Old Forge. Crews were called to the scene just after five. There is very heavy smoke in the area. Crews are trying to get the fire under control. Drivers are being asked to stay away from the area of Main Street.
Right now no word on injuries. Eyewitness News has crews on the scene.
