EARL – A three-alarm fire which started around 12 p.m. Saturday reportedly was sparked by a clothes dryer in the basement of a home on Mountain Road.
‘There’s a gas dryer we believe it’s tied to,’ said Earl Township Fire Chief Michael R. Marburger. ‘It’s not suspicious … they just started up the dryer, had some issues with it.’
Marburger said the township’s fire marshall is still investigating the incident tied to the home on the 800 block of Mountain Road.
An elderly couple who lived in the home were taken to the hospital after the blaze, which firefighters were able to contain to the basement.
‘They have a history of medical issues, it was nothing serious,’ Marburger explained.
The severity of the fire was apparent as firefighters responded to the scene.
‘The basement was fully involved, rolling out the door,’ Marburger said.
Fighting the fire was made difficult by some clutter in the basement which had to be moved out.
‘That’s why we went to the third alarm, we just needed the manpower to get to the remaining,’ hot spots, Marburger said.
In addition to the Earl Township Fire Company, according to the company’s Facebook page, the Boyertown and Eastern Berks fire departments, the Liberty, Alsace Manor, Ruscombmanor, Oley, Central of Laureldale, and Amity fire companies all responded.
The Salvation Army canteen also was on scene.
Around 5:30 p.m., all operations surrounding the fire, including overhaul, were finished.
Although the fire was contained to the home’s basement, there was also reportedly some heat damage on the house’s second and third floors.
