Investigation into Bellefonte Avenue Blaze Begins

by LaKeshia Knarr

LOCK HAVEN – Gusts of dark smoke billowed over downtown Lock Haven Friday morning after a fire broke out on Bellefonte Avenue just before daybreak.

Local fire companies were called to the scene of a structure fire at 6:33 a.m. and battled the blaze in frigid temperatures until 1:40 p.m.

The investigation into what caused the fire is just beginning.

The fire started at 37 Bellefonte Ave., which was formerly a furniture shop and has not operated as a storefront in several years.

“I believe the fire started on the second floor in the rear of the building (at 37 Bellefonte Ave.),” explained Robert Neff, fire chief for Lock Haven Fire Department. “Currently, I’m going to list the property as a total loss. I’m fairly sure they’ll be tearing it down.”

Neff noted that there were no utilities connected to the building, saying both electricity and water were shut off.
“There was limited insurance on the building,” he said of the structure owned by local landlord Dave Mayes.

When asked if there is any suspicion of arson, Neff said, “We have no idea at this point. It’s under investigation.”

Ken Riggle, fire marshal at the state police barracks at Lamar, will be investigating the scene to determine the cause and evaluate the total damage.

Due to the property’s proximity to other structures, adjacent buildings were also affected, Neff said.
Within the first hour of the fire, responders were dousing the adjacent buildings, including Covenant United Methodist Church at 44 W. Main St., which is behind the property that caught fire.
“There was some minor fire damage and smoke damage to the church,” Neff said.

He also confirmed that the building directly next to the former furniture store – which houses state Rep. Mike Hanna’s local office, a salon and a barbershop – was also impacted by the fire. That property, owned by HTD Rentals, had to have its basement pumped before heat could be turned back on, Neff said.

“I think we’ve done a great job. We contained the fire to the building where it started and limited damage to the church and other part of the building. The guys did a great job,” Neff said of the firefighters on scene.

Aside from the Lock Haven Fire Department and the Clinton County Emergency Management Agency, the following Clinton County fire companies responded to the scene: Dunnstown, Mill Hall, Flemington, Castanea, Avis, Beech Creek, Lamar Township, Woolrich, Sugar Valley, Nittany Valley, Renovo (Emerald); as well as Millheim, Alpha and Bellefonte from Centre County; and Old Lycoming Township, Citizens, Independent, Montoursville and Loyalsock from Lycoming County.

The Salvation Army served food and drinks to first responders from its canteen truck.