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One Year Later: Scranton’s Green Ridge Fire

SCRANTON — Smoke could be seen for miles from the fire on East Market Street in Scranton exactly one year ago, where several apartments and two businesses...
scr green ridge fire

SCRANTON -- Smoke could be seen for miles from the fire on East Market Street in Scranton exactly one year ago, where several apartments and two businesses were destroyed.

The lot where the fire happened still sits empty.

"Everyday I see it, I get upset because I know what I paid for this block," said Bob Andras, who runs Headliner Beauty Salon and owns the entire building across the street. "That contributed to Green Ridge because there was two downstairs stores and there was four or five apartments. And the building was done up nice and was well taken care of and that's just an eyesore."

"That fire left a big void here in the corners," added Mike Brunetti of Brunetti's Pizza. "It needs to be developed. How many vacant lots can you have in the city of Scranton?"

It's not all bad. A lot has changed in a year since the fire for people like Kristin Martelli.

"It looked like the end of the world, but it actually worked out for the best," she said.Martelli's business was one of the two that were destroyed. Since September, she's back up and running in a bigger space downtown.

Martelli's business was one of the two that were destroyed. Since September, she's back up and running in a bigger space downtown.

"I always say everything happens for a reason," she added. "I know it's very cliche to say that's but it's really true."

The property was purchased in January of this year by a company that describes itself as specializing in property management and marketing of vacant apartments.

There's no word yet on what the plans are for the space.

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