HT News

July 2, 2009

2 jump, 1 rescued from building

Times Leader staff

HAZLETON – Two people jumped from a second-floor window of a burning downtown building and another person was rescued from the structure early Wednesday morning.

Hazleton firefighters responded to the former Cal Pane building at 120 W. Broad St. just after midnight and found heavy smoke in the rear of the structure, Fire Chief Donald Leshko said in a news release. He said occupants of the building were screaming that a person was trapped inside.

Firefighters rushed in and rescued someone who was trapped on the second floor. Two tenants jumped from a second floor rear window and another tenant crawled onto a roof of an adjacent building to escape the flames.

Six people were transported to Hazleton General Hospital and one was flown to a local trauma center, Leshko said. Other tenants sought medical treatment on their own at hospitals.

It took nearly an hour to bring the fire under control. No firefighters were injured, Leshko said.

He said off-duty firefighters were called in to staff fire stations while on-duty firefighters battled the blaze.

The American Red Cross is assisting those displaced by the fire.

A state police deputy fire marshal is investigating the cause of the blaze.

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