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Main Street Business Working to Stay Open After Fire

STROUDSBURG — A business damaged by fire in the Poconos is on the move. Owners are trying to stay in operation while they clean up. The fire in the buildi...

STROUDSBURG -- A business damaged by fire in the Poconos is on the move. Owners are trying to stay in operation while they clean up.

The fire in the building that's home to Pocono Sew & Vac happened around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, just a couple of blocks up from our WNEP Newsroom in Stroudsburg.

Monday morning, workers were busy moving parts of their business from this side of Main Street to the other, while they try to figure out exactly where and how they'll set up shop next.

State police fire marshals sifted through the debris along Main Street in Stroudsburg as Pocono Sew & Vac employees work to keep business operations running the best they can after a weekend fire.

"We're taking it that old proverbial phrase, one day at a time," said Brad Bennett of Pocono Sew & Vac.

Workers say they were there as the flames began shooting out of the window of a second floor apartment.

"Smoke was just rolling, pouring out and then it started firing out a little bit on the other side," said Pocono Sew & Vac employee Joe Jermain.

Now just a couple of days later, the store is opening up operations across the street in the former location of Main Street TV & Appliance.

Benches were rolled right across Main Street to continue repair work the store already had.

"We tried to move the customer units over here just as quick as we could, you know, keep them safe from smoke damage and such," said Bennett.

This is the second fire in less than a month on Main Street and it has several other business owners here in downtown Stroudsburg very concerned.

"No, no, not good at all actually, but what are you going to do," said Frank Scarpelli.

In early July, fire ripped through Kitchen Chemistry, a kitchen goods store and bakery.

Scarpelli watched this latest fire from his deli across the street.

"I was actually in the back making mozzarella and I saw a little smoke on the side of the building. I thought it was steam at first," said Scarpelli.

Business owners say they'll be keeping an eye on this latest fire, hoping the building doesn't sit empty for long.

"We can't have burned-out buildings and empty lots and expect people to shop in downtown Stroudsburg," said business owner Jack Muehlhan.

This is actually the third fire Pocono Sew & Vac has been through in three different locations.

But employees say this 35-year-old business will be back up and running as soon as possible.

As for the cause of this fire on Main Street, state police fire marshals are still investigating but they don't believe it's suspicious.

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