UPDATED: Fire strikes Wire Tele-View building in Pottsville; firefighters scramble as front of building collapses
POTTSVILLE — A fire destroyed the Wire Tele-View Corp. building on the city's east side Thursday evening, with firefighters at one point running for their lives as the front of the building collapsed toward them.
Everyone was accounted for, according to an emergency radio broadcast.
Fire engulfs the Wire Tele-View building in Pottsville
Fire engulfs the Wire Tele-View building in Pottsville
Some firefighters, as well as onlookers and occupants of buildings within 300 feet, were told to retreat or evacuate.
Firefighters were dispatched around 6:50 p.m. for a commercial building fire at the 603 E. Market St. location and reported explosion.
Tall columns of black smoke could be seen from various parts of the city.
Firefighters from throughout the region were called to the scene.
Carl Brenneman, who lives at 422 E. Market St., about three blocks from Wire Tele-View, recalled seeing clouds of black smoke billowing from the property.
"I looked up at the sky," he said, "and I see nothing but billowing smoke — big, black clouds of smoke."
Brenneman later joined a group of onlookers who watched the fire scene from a section of North Wolfe Street, which was closed to traffic at Arch Street.
Brenneman said the Wire Tele-View building appeared to be completely destroyed.
"It looked bad," he said. "The smoke was going up pretty quick."
Check back for updates.
