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Flames, Explosion Gut Part of Resort

MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP — Flames broke out at vacation villas owned by Fernwood Resort in the Poconos Wednesday morning. Officials say the fire and an ...

MIDDLE SMITHFIELD TOWNSHIP -- Flames broke out at vacation villas owned by Fernwood Resort in the Poconos Wednesday morning.

Officials say the fire and an apparent explosion damaged four units and destroyed four others.

The fire broke out just before 5 a.m. at the Villas at Tree Tops and Fairway. It's part of the Fernwood Resort near Marshalls Creek.

People staying there say they heard a loud explosion that ended up throwing parts of the vacation villas all over the parking lot.

People staying there say it was just about 5 a.m. when they heard a noise so loud, it startled guests all over the resort.

"Our unit's probably about a half mile away from here and it rattled everything in our unit," said Kurt Krevin of Reading. "Things on the wall, plates, dishes, everything just shook."

Fire officials say the fire started in a villa and spread through several others due to early morning winds gusting at about 15 to 20 miles an hour.

Four villas were destroyed and four others have fire damage.

Alan Mull of Ohio was staying in a villa close to all of the commotion.

"I first looked out the window and I had seen this orange glow and just ran out our door and seen this massive fire."

Several of the villas were occupied and resort officials were working hard to make sure everyone was accounted for.

Fire crews took extra precautions and began sifting through the rubble.

A backhoe was brought in as well to lift the heavy pieces of the building.

Hours later, resort officials confirmed no one was trapped inside

"Always, always, the most important thing is that nobody was injured and we're thankful that a building can be rebuilt. And the rest of the resort is fully operational," said Gina Bertucci, vice president of marketing, Bushkill Group.

Pieces of the building are scattered all over the parking lot, insulation, siding everywhere.

"We speculate some type of explosion. The villas here are an underground propane system to the villas. The state fire marshal is investigating the actual cause of what happened," said Bushkill Volunteer Fire Chief aLex Dipaolo.

State police fire marshals are trying to determine exactly what caused the fire.

Resort officials tell us that about eight to 10 guests were displaced, and have been moved to other parts of the Villas at Tree Tops and Fairway.

They say they're back to business as usual.

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