STROUD TOWNSHIP, PA — Flames roared several stories high as fire ripped through the Gray Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, and Ram service center on West Main Street in Stroud Township near Stroudsburg.
"One to 10; this was a 10 cause it was fully involved. Obviously, you have vehicles inside full of gas. There's acetylene cutting torches in there," said Asst. Chief Kelly Felker of Stroud Township Volunteer Fire Department. "There's all kinds of fuel items in there going off."
More than 100 firefighters from 10 different companies responded to the blaze, which started just after 3:00 P.M.
The Holiday Inn next door had to be evacuated. Other businesses had to close because power was cut to the area.
For Jozefa Abdalla of Stroud Township, a routine inspection turned into a nightmare. Her car was one of the several inside the burning service center.
"We are waiting for the car to come out, and we know it's almost done," said Abdalla. "All of a sudden, they tell us you have to leave the building."
Fire officials say one employee suffered burns to his arm, but no one else was hurt.
"So we are leaving the building, and everybody is running, so we are running too. You know my husband walks slow. I walk slow because we are both disabled and thank god we came out safe and everyone is fine but look at the disaster," said Abdalla.
The work is not over yet as the State Police Fire Marshal and crews begin sifting through the rubble, trying to find the cause of the fire.
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