Cameron Street fire in Harrisburg is ruled accidental; uncertainty about when businesses can reopen
By Charles Thompson, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Enterline said Tuesday that the
A Hebron worker told PennLive on Monday night that the spark was caused by a short in pumping equipment used to empty fuel tanks from the vehicles Hebron's crews break down for parts into larger tanks.
Enterline confirmed that the investigation showed vapors at the tanks ignited, and the fire was off and running.
By the time firefighters declared the incident under control at
Four other businesses in the two-building Paxton Center complex suffered varying degrees of heat, smoke and water damage.
Total damages, including building damage and property losses, was placed in excess of
Five firefighters suffered minor injuries at the scene, the chief noted, but all remained on duty through the night.
Most of the property is owned by
Perakis said Monday afternoon that his recovery plans are still taking shape and will depend on various factors ranging from codes inspections to insurance coverages to the desire of his tenants to stay with him.
But his immediate goal, he said, is to rebuild.
Earlier in the day, most of Perakis' business tenants said they planned to reopen and hoped they could do so at the center, a sort of de facto business incubator that happens to be near one of
She still hoped to call numbers for the
Others were expecting a longer wait.
"We're hoping they'll stick by us," Hibala said.
The first call on re-use of any portions of the structure will depend on city codes officers' assessment of what parts, if any, of the sprawling structures are safe to occupy.
The results of those inspections were not clear at this writing.Kathleen Alzghier, the wife of Hebron owner Abdul Alzghier, expressed sympathy for her employees and her business neighbors Monday, and said she felt terrible that the fire had started in her family's shop.
"This is upsetting to us. We try to be good tenants. We try to be very careful ... But this was a freak," Alzghier, of
Enterline said Tuesday that the fire spread explosively through the Hebron shop at the rear of 724, fueled by the small amounts of gasoline that were still in many of the vehicles.
As city firefighters responded, Enterline said Tuesday, they could see fire and smoke from the
By the time the first units arrived on the scene, the roof of the Hebron facility was fully engulfed in flames, portions of its walls were starting to collapse and fire had spread to the
For the firefighters' safety, Enterline said incident commanders decided to employ a defensive approach focused mainly on keeping the fire from spreading to neighboring properties.
"Based on what I know, I don't think they have any compliance issues," Libhart said Tuesday.
Nor, Enterline said, were there any current code violations at either of Perakis' properties.
Enterline praised his fire crews -- plus 64 from 16 neighboring communities that assisted at the scene -- for their work in keeping the fire largely contained to Perakis' properties.
"I think the troops did one heck of a job," Enterline said.
Enterline wasn't the only one expressing his gratitude.
According to Savannah's on Hanna's Facebook page, the gentleman's club about 20 yards east of the Hebron garage -- close enough to have its sign melt from the heat -- was offering a free meal and drink to any first responders who helped contain Monday's fire.
"We want to thank all of the firefighters, rescue personnel and law enforcement who battled the blaze on our adjoining property yesterday. You saved our club!" the post reads.
___
Staff Writer
___
(c)2014 The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pa.)
Visit The Patriot-News (Harrisburg, Pa.) at www.pennlive.com
Distributed by MCT Information Services
Wordcount: | 911 |
Hospitals discuss ‘possible opportunities for alignment and collaboration’
Oregon Dems: Andrew Miller, Where is the Polling?
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News