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Smoky Fire Hits Montoursville Business

MONTOURSVILLE — Firefighters responded Monday morning to a business in Lycoming County. Montoursville Fire Department officials say the Launderama is a co...

MONTOURSVILLE -- Firefighters responded Monday morning to a business in Lycoming County.

Montoursville Fire Department officials say the Launderama is a complete loss. A fire started in the attic of the building around 11:15 a.m. Monday.

Neighbors we spoke with say they called police because they smelled smoke and in minutes the building was up in flames.

Smoke billowed from the roof of the Launderama, a Laundromat on South Washington Street in Montoursville, while crews worked to douse bright orange flames.

"Rubble and ashes, it's pretty much it. It went up pretty quickly and after that, I mean it just took hold," said Chris Hayley of Montoursville.

"It just went up that quick."

A woman from Farragut watched as crews put out flames. She says she was inside the laundromat waiting for clothes to dry right before the fire started.

"I checked it to see if it's dry and it's wasn't dry yet. I thought, 'Well, this smells funny.'"

She smelled smoke, but says she wasn't worried until she left the laundromat and saw smoke.

"Went back in, I thought, 'You don't see any fire or anything.' I thought, 'OK, I better get a hold of the owner or somebody.'"

Neighbors say they walked outside to find smoke pouring from a vent on the roof of the building. That's when they decided to call 911.

"By the time the first squad car rolled up, the thing just went up in flames."

Chris Hayley lives across the street. He says he smelled smoke.

"Oh yeah, it was pungent."

He didn't see flames at first, but Hayley called for help.

"Again, we were more concerned with getting everyone out of there."

Montoursville fire crew says flames were coming from the roof. They believe it started in the attic, but they don't know how.

No one was injured.

"Two people lost their clothing, so a small price to pay."

The owners of the laundromat were there and told us the business has been open for 34 years.

There is no word on the cause of the fire or if the owners plan to rebuild.

Smoky Fire Hits Montoursville Business

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