NAPA BUILDING DESTROYED BY FIRE

Firefighters worked into the early hours Friday trying to quell a fire that destroyed one building and damaged another in downtown Emporium.

The approximately 100-year-old building that housed Emporium's NAPA Auto Parts is believed to be a total loss following the Thursday night blaze.

The adjacent building, the Midtowne Sports Bar & Grill and the apartments above, appeared to be heavily engulfed with flames at times, but firefighters who had gotten into the structure around 2 am Friday did not immediately see fire damage inside.

No injuries were reported. The residents of the second-floor apartments were evacuated before the fire got out of hand.

The fire is thought to have started at about 7 pm in the top, back of the NAPA building, according to Emporium Volunteer Fire Dept. Chief Butch Housler. That building is owned by Dave Stewart of Emporium. Smoke was forcing its way through the bricks and roof rafters when firefighters arrived at 7:30.

Emporium firefighters attacked the fire through a second story back entrance as the team's ladder truck was prepared in the adjacent vacant lot. Before water could be fed to the ladder hose, flames began slicing their way through the rubber roofing.

The structure at 40 East Fourth Street in Emporium sustained serious damage and is likely a total loss as a result of a fire that raked through it Thursday night. Owned by Dave Stewart of Emporium, the building houses Stewart's NAPA Auto Parts Store as well as second story apartments. In the photo at left, Ridgway firefighters use their tower truck to attack the fire. Above, Emporium firefighters battle flames through a second story window.

Fire quickly spread to the roof of the structure to the west, owned by Emporium's Todd Schwartz, but firefighters repositioned the ladder truck and were able to keep it from engulfing the building fully, Housler said. Flames on the roof began threatening the next building to the west, owned by Blair and Linda Lundberg, at about 9 pm. That building was not damaged.

As fire gutted the upper floor of the Stewart structure, people hustled to remove valuables from the neighboring structures.

Emporium firefighters took turns attacking the fire through a second story entrance. They donned masks and air tanks and clawed through smoke so thick it was forcing itself through the cracks between the bricks in the wall.

Firefighters believe the fire had been stewing in the roof of the Stewart building perhaps for hours before the fire was reported. Workers in adjacent buildings reported smelling smoke as early as 6 pm., but they couldn't locate a source.

Tracy Schwartz, business manager of the Midtowne, reported that renters in the apartments above will be able to keep living in the building. The two apartments in the back were the only ones affected by slightly lowered ceilings and water-logged carpets. Other than that, the apartments were unaffected by the fire. An apartment in the front was left untouched.

After a thorough examination, Schwartz found the Midtowne to be operable and opened up for business on Friday.

"I have to really thank our fire department for that, they did an excellent job," said Schwartz.

Stewart expressed similar gratitude for the fire department for doing their best and also thanked coffee donators for providing late-night beverages to emergency responders, victims, and on-lookers.

Stewart said that business operations will be handled through the NAPA in St. Marys for the time being. The number there is 834-2288.

Three individuals living above NAPA were left homeless as a result of the fire, two males and a female.

Donations of food and clothing vouchers can be dropped off in a collection box at the Buttonwood Motel along Sizerville Road.

Monetary donations can be sent to the American Red Cross Disaster Fund, 808 S. Michael St., St. Marys, PA 15857.