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Pottsville Building Damaged by Flames, Careless Smoking Blamed

POTTSVILLE — Fire officials blame careless smoking for Wednesday morning’s fire in Pottsville. Flames broke out around 8 a.m. in the building on Wes...

POTTSVILLE -- Fire officials blame careless smoking for Wednesday morning's fire in Pottsville.

Flames broke out around 8 a.m. in the building on West Market Street.

For more than 25 years, Jack Yeager lived in the home on West Market Street in Pottsville.

"It's my whole life, marriage, raising my children, 20, 25, 30 years I lived here."

He passed the home on to son and his family, who has been renting there. But now, a fire has gutted the home ruining the place where many memories were made, and taking a dog as well.

"The main thing is everybody is safe and structure is a structure. It can be replaced, but you can't replace a life," said Yeager.

Everyone made it out safely, including those in two neighboring buildings, which had smoke damage.

A fire station sits not more than 20 steps away.

"It means a lot because I live in this community and it's nice to know that as fast as they can, people in this area respond," said neighbor Darcey Ortiz.

This comes one day after Pottsville crews dealt with another fire, about a mile away, on East Norwegian Street. Thomas Howard died. The police chief says he had been smoking in bed.

In both fires, the Pottsville fire chief told us, careless smoking seems to be what caused them, a problem he says that's easily avoidable.

"All you need is a little bit of an ember on a cigarette butt, and especially if you put it in a trash can, it's going to be insulated there and heat up and start a fire. This is a perfect example of what can happen," said Pottsville Fire Chief Todd March.

In this case, the fire chief told us it appears the fire started after cigarette butts and an ashtray were dumped in a trash can. The house doesn't appear to be a total loss.

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