One home was a total loss and two neighboring houses sustained damage after a fire on Friday night near Bellefonte.
Nine fire companies were dispatched to the fire, which started at about 6:40 p.m. on the 700 block of West Water Street in Spring Township. Undine Fire Company Captain Malachi Moyer reported “heavy fire on the backside of the burn house and 15 feet of fire coming from the windows.”
The fire spread to the attic of one neighboring house and excessive heat damaged the siding of another, according to Undine Fire Company. After initially encountering two dead fire hydrants, firefighters were able to establish a consistent water supply and the main fire was under control in about an hour and a half.
No one was injured and the Red Cross is assisting affected families. The destroyed home had three apartments, and several GoFundMe campaigns have been established to aid the residents:
• gofundme.com/f/mhy5g-colpetzer-family
• gofundme.com/f/Tashoi
• gofundme.com/f/those-who-lost-everything-in-the-bellefonte-fire
Logan, Undine, Boalsburg, Pleasant Gap, Centre Hall, Alpha, Milesburg, Howard and Miles Township fire companies responded to the scene. Bellefonte and Spring Township police departments assisted, and Bellefonte EMS provided medical assistance and rehab services.
Traffic in the area of Willowbank and West Spring Streets was detoured while crews battled the fire.
