TREMONT, Pa. — Smoke and flames could be seen for miles as fire ripped through these buildings on East Main Street in Tremont. Loren Devine was in his apartment at the time. His daughter alerted him something was wrong.
"She went and said dad why's it light outside? Me and my son were in my room. I opened my door and I went to look and I freaked. I grabbed my youngest one and I told the other two to run outside. If she wouldn't have come and got me I wouldn't be here," Loren Devine said.
According to the Tremont Fire Chief, around two dozen people were displaced by the fire, which started around 11:00pm last night. No one was hurt, but four buildings were either destroyed or heavily damaged, including multiple apartments.
In addition to the apartment buildings two businesses were also affected by the fire- a restaurant and a flower shop.
Dee's Flowers and Randazzo's Pizza and Restaurant were both destroyed by the fire. It was an emotional morning for the people who live and work here, as some salvaged what they could from their homes and businesses.
"I wanted to get my daughter's flute because she starts flute on the 17th. She kept saying dad my flute. He was able to get that, he said maybe when they pull some of the stuff they'll be able to get my safe that has my kid's birth certificates," Devine said.
Devine says today is his daughter's tenth birthday.
"I don't want to say happy birthday to her because I know it will upset her again," Devine said.
A state police fire marshal was on scene investigating. No word yet on what caused the fire in Tremont.