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Business, Tenants Displaced by Fire in Stroudsburg

STROUDSBURG — For the second time in a month, a fire hit an apartment building in downtown Stroudsburg. Only one business was affected this time, but more...

STROUDSBURG -- For the second time in a month, a fire hit an apartment building in downtown Stroudsburg.

Only one business was affected this time, but more than one dozen tenants are out of their homes.

Officials said the fire got its start in a second floor apartment on Main Street in Stroudsburg around 9:30 a.m.

According to authorities, 17 people lived above Pocono Sew and Vac and they all got out safely.

One woman said she heard the smoke alarm go off then saw smoke coming from her friend's apartment.

"I yelled just grab everything, get out. We left, tried to break in the apartment door to see if our friends were okay, and it wasn't opening. It was just too smokey," said Jessica Clark.

Her neighbors weren't home. Linda Gates was shopping and came home to find fire crews stationed outside her apartment building. Gates, like everyone else who lived here, will have to look for another place to stay.

"They said it started in my apartment, apartment but I don't know how because I don't smoke or nothing," said Gates.

Gates' companion was also not home when the flames hit and his wife's urn was inside.

"Naturally I'm upset. I lost everything. Property. Property you can replace, lives you can't," said Paul York.

The fire hit another building two blocks away, early last month on Main Street, forcing more than 20 people out and damaging two businesses on the first floor.

Now, workers at Pocono Sew and Vac had to remove machines and vacuums because the business has smoke damage.

The Red Cross is helping folks like Linda Gates with food, clothing and a place to stay.

"I lost everything, everything I lost. It's very hard," said Gates.

Fire officials said the whole building has smoke and water damage and a state police fire marshal is looking for a cause of that fire in Monroe County.

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