29 residents were evacuated with no injuries, officials said
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
When firefighters arrived this morning at 4 a.m. in the 500 block of East Chestnut Street, a fully involved garage had already collapsed, said acting Coatesville Fire Chief Jim Lentz.
A pile of charred rubble is all that remains of a detached garage in the 500 block of East Chestnut Street.
The fast-moving fire also did damage to the group home at that location, Lentz said, but the 29 residents were safely evacuated with no injuries. The building has been declared unsafe by the city’s Codes Department and is not permitted to be occupied until repairs are made, Lentz said.
Acting City Manager Kirby Hudson said the building is owned by a family that is working to make sure that the residents, who include four veterans, all have a place to stay. He said that the fire did not appear to do any major structural damage to the building and that he hoped residents could return home in a couple of days as long as inspectors give their approval.
Sara Smith, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross, said the agency set up a reception center at the Coatesville Community Center so that the victims would have a place to get refreshments and stay cool. She said the building’s owners appeared likely to be able to accommodate everyone. “We’re ready in case there’s a need,” she said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Chester County and State Police Fire Marshall offices, Lentz said, adding that a preliminary cause could not be ascertained because the garage was completed destroyed.
Lentz said Coatesville received assistance from the Veterans’ Administration, Thorndale, Modena, East Brandywine, Downingtown, and Sadsburyville.
