Fire destroys service plaza in Northumberland County
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NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pennsylvania (WNEP) — Thick smoke and flames poured out of Bressler’s Garage service stop near Milton in the early morning hours on Wednesday.
The fire broke after 11 p.m. Tuesday and quickly went to a fourth alarm.
Several crews were called in to battle the flames that took three hours to get under control.
“The company’s been here for many years,” said Stephen Jeffry. “It’s a well-known business, and so everybody who knows the family wants to help put the fire out and get it out quickly.”
The Northumberland County public safety director says two firefighters were injured by falling debris. They are expected to be OK.
Two employees were at the building when the fire broke out and were able to get out.
“I could go back 50 years in this business, and I’ve seen a lot of accidents and a lot of injured people, and people who have had far more losses than I do, so I kind of know the procedure and what’s coming, and just accept the fact that that it is what it is, and I can’t turn back the clock, but I can look forward,” said owner Robert Bressler.
Bressler says this is just one of three service stops that he owns. He says while the fire was bad, it could have been a lot worse.
“It’s a building, it’s a material thing, it’s replaceable,” Bressler said. “Two firefighters I’m told were injured, and nobody else has been injured. We had no customer vehicles in the building. Looking in the doors, most of the inventory is actually intact, so I feel pretty fortunate.”
Bressler says he plans to rebuild once all the rubble is cleared but no longer will carry fuel.
There is no word on what caused the fire. Officials don’t believe the fire is suspicious.
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