EARL TWP. – A house on Manatawny Road was destroyed by a fire late Friday morning.
More than 10 fire companies from surrounding areas responded to the 1200 block of Manatawny Road near the intersection of Longview Road around 11:30 a.m.
The cause of the fire has not been released but firefighters focused their efforts on the front door, the roof and a section in the back.
At one point, after the fire had been burning for approximately 30 minutes, an alarm sounded and all firefighters were evacuated from the house and off the roof.
Shortly after the alarm, smoke enveloped the structure and responders doused the house with foam.
When it was safe again to approach, one firefighter retrieved a charred American flag from its holder near the front door. The flag eventually made it onto the back of a Birdsboro-Union ladder truck.
For more than two hours firefighters worked to knock the fire down. During that time, licks of flame could be seen intermittently at the back of the house and in first floor windows.
Earl Township Volunteer Fire Company was assisted by Amity, Boyertown, Alsace, Gibraltar, Monarch, Eastern Berks, West End, Birdsboro-Union, Exeter, Liberty, and New Bernville fire companies.
EARLIER VERSION OF THE STORY EARL TWP. – A house was destroyed by a fire on Manatawny Road in Earl Township Friday morning.
Firefighters were seen dousing the home with foam and at one point evacuated the home as a precaution.
It was unknown if anyone was in the two-story home when the fire started.
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