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By Steve Mocarsky smocarsky@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
Steve Mocarsky on Facebook   |   @TLSteveMocarsky on Twitter

CONYNGHAM - State police continue to investigate the cause of a fire that ravaged a Main Street apartment and commercial complex early Sunday morning.

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Firefighters clean up the scene after a Sunday morning fire at Lantern Lane, a commercial and apartment complex on South Main Street in Conyngham.

PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER

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State police deputy fire marshal Cpl. Shawn Hilbert studies charred debris at the Lantern Lane commercial and apartment complex in Conyngham after a fire ravaged the building early Sunday morning.

PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER

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Valley Regional Fire and Rescue responded to the two-story Lantern Lane complex at 314-316 S. Main St. just after 2:30 a.m. after a neighbor called 911 to report the fire.

Arriving firefighters and neighbors helped second-floor tenants Barbara Reese and Nellie Stratts escape from their apartments, according to state police Cpl. Shawn A. Hilbert, deputy fire marshal.

Other displaced second-floor apartment tenants were Jeffrey Antolick and Nicole Buak.

Businesses on the first floor include the Falvello Law Firm, dentist Dr. Richard Grovich and M&L Trucking.

Several people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and released. One tenant was taken to Hazleton General Hospital for treatment. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries while fighting the fire.

A fire scene examination was conducted and it was determined that the fire originated at the top of the rear stairway leading to the second-floor apartments. Neighbors reported hearing one or more people talking at the rear of the building just before the fire was discovered, Hilbert said.

Anyone with information on the identities of the person or people talking at the rear of the building should call Hilbert at 459-3890.

Read more on the fire in The Times Leader on Monday.