STROUDSBURG, Pa. -- Several businesses on Main Street in downtown Stroudsburg are either closed or heavily damaged after a fire destroyed a tattoo shop, a lounge, and a few apartments.
The fire happened Thursday night just after 7 p.m.
The State Police Fire Marshal says it started on the third floor in one of the apartments.
"My neighbor here had a fire start on the third floor and it kind of spread into ours. Luckily, it didn't continue down the block," said Billy Parkinson, Rock n' Willy's.
Billy Parkinson owns Rock n' Willy's Tea and Hookah Lounge and a tattoo shop. He says his shop on the second floor has the most damage.
"The tattoo shop is pretty bad so we are in the process already of starting to gut it, clean it and get back open as soon as we can and keep everyone working," said Parkinson.
Tiffany Torres lives in an apartment building next door and says she had to leave.
"It was a lot of smoke and there was just a lot of commotion and we weren't sure if it would jump the bridge or gap at all. We really just weren't sure what was going to happen next," said Tiffany Torres, Stroudsburg.
The flames only destroyed the building next door but there was a lot of smoke in the air and the smell is still causing some issues for nearby businesses.
The manager at Gamer's Edge had fans going to help with the smell.
"We have some very minor smoke damage. We were very fortunate and had community members here overnight to help us clean and keep the doors open and get any smell out as soon as possible," said Vanessa Biscardi, The Gamer's Edge.
The State Police Fire Marshal says this fire was electrical and started in the wall of this apartment building in Stroudsburg.