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Suspicious Fire Being Investigated in Stroudsburg

STROUDSBURG — Investigators are calling a Saturday night fire in downtown Stroudsburg suspicious. Flames sparked at a jewelry store on Main Street around ...

STROUDSBURG -- Investigators are calling a Saturday night fire in downtown Stroudsburg suspicious.

Flames sparked at a jewelry store on Main Street around 10 p.m. Smoke spread to an apartment complex next door.

"It's painful to see because some people suffered and property was burned and some businesses were closed," Andrew Utkin of Stroudsburg said.

The Stroudsburg Fire Chief calls the fire suspicious, but would not say why. There's still no official cause. The chief said two firefighters had to be treated for exhaustion and one of their hoses was damaged after a pizza delivery driver drove over it.

Newswatch 16 spoke to several people who were forced out of their homes because of the fire.

"(We) started smelling smoke," Dallas Parmenter, who was evacuated from his home, said. "(We) thought it was our heater. (We were) smelling the ground and everything. Couldn't figure out where it was coming from. (We) open the bedroom door, looked at the bathroom and smoke was pouring out of it."

Newswatch 16 spoke to several people who live in the apartment building and were home when the fires started. They said power to the building has been cut off and all the doors were kicked in. The Red Cross is assisting them, but they aren't sure when they'll be able to return home.

"We haven't contacted the landlord," George Watherbee of Stroudsburg said. "We don't know. We just have permission to go in there to get some stuff."

While the apartment residents are happy there were only minor injuries in the fire, they're worried about their homes.

"Got everything out worth anything, at least," Parmenter said. "But, still, the fact that I can't get in the house... it's nice that it's not burnt up but, still."

The State Police Fire Marshal said he hopes to find a cause in the next couple of days depending on the weather.

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