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Flames Rip Buildings in Shenandoah, Ruled Arson

SHENANDOAH — Update Thursday: A state police fire marshal said the fire is arson. It started in the rear of 9 North Union Street and involved a dozen prop...
shen fire 1 6-22 ed

SHENANDOAH -- Update Thursday: A state police fire marshal said the fire is arson. It started in the rear of 9 North Union Street and involved a dozen properties.

Previous Story: Fire crews had their hands full on the scene of a four-alarm fire in Schuylkill County.

Photos at the scene show flames shooting from the building on East Centre Street in Shenandoah. According to the Shenandoah Fire Marshal, at least ten vacant homes were destroyed.

Flames Rip Buildings in Shenandoah, Ruled Arson

 

Ed Henritzy lives right across the street and couldn't believe how fast the fire spread.

"I thought what's going on," he said. "I get up. I come out and boy, it was blazing up above the top of the tree."

With the dozens of fire hoses scattered across the streets, the corner of East Centre Street and North Union Street was shut down in Shenandoah for hours to traffic.

Crews from all over came out to help, even bringing in extra tankers which filled the streets.

This isn't the first time one of these homes caught fire. Back in September 2014, the East Centre Street home was one of four different fires that started in a matter of hours across Shenandoah.

"As always, people should keep their eyes open and report anything they see as not right in the area," said Rick Examitas, Shenandoah Borough Fire Marshal. "At this time the fire still under investigation and the state fire marshal currently on scene to help with the investigation."

But for Henritzy, he has a pretty good hunch this wasn't accidental.

"There's always fires in Shenandoah," he added.  I think somebody goes around setting them. There's no electricity in there, nobody living there. It didn't start by itself!"

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