JACKSON TOWNSHIP -- The fire that tore through a mom and pop shop in the Poconos, at one point looked like a fireball, according to the fire chief.
Firefighters were called Wednesday morning to the Mountain Road Feed Store just off Route 715 near Tannersville.
The business has been around for decades
A little after 4 a.m. the shop in Reeders caught fire. The main building of the place that sells farming supplies and animal feed was destroyed, but the owner plans to have the businesses back up and running as soon as Thursday.
A pile of rubble and melted equipment inside is what's left of one of the buildings at Mountain Road Feed Store in Reeders after fire tore through the place.
The place sells animal feed, animal supplies, and farming equipment.
The owner says he got the call a little after 4 a.m.
"I got out of bed and raced over here in the ice. I got here at approximately 4:25 to see virtually the entire building engulfed in flame. It was just unbelievable to me,” said Jim Fallenstein.
The Jackson Township fire chief took a picture of the blaze of what he and crews from several other fire companies were facing.
"The fire companies were already here, numerous trucks and men doing everything they could to put the fire out, but it seemed hopeless,” said Fallenstein.
The fire chief says the flames were so powerful and intense that the building started feeling the heat, literally. The plastic holding together wood chips started to melt so the six fire companies on scene knew that they had to do what they could to make sure that fire didn't spread.
"They were able to stop the other buildings from catching on fire, which was a great concern of all of us, and they did a wonderful job with that,” added the owner.
One of those other buildings has hay and animal feed inside. The other has wood shavings for animal bedding
Now, as Fallenstein looks at the rubble he sees what lies ahead.
"I visualize the hard work that was entailed to put that structure there and visualize what we'll have to do to replace it,” he said. "We're stubborn mom and pop shops and I'm going to fight to the end.”
Mountain Road Feed Store plans to reopen Thursday at 8 a.m. with limited supplies to sell.
A state police fire marshal is investigating but says the fire doesn't appear to be suspicious.