Fire destroys home in eastern Berks County

The scene of a fire Saturday afternoon on Avalon Circle in Washington Township (photo by Andy Fronheiser – courtesy Eastern Berks Fire Department)

A fire Saturday afternoon destroyed a home in Washington Township, according to the Eastern Berks Fire Department.

Ministry officials gave the following account:

Firefighters were dispatched to Avalon Circle, near County Line Road, at 2:04 p.m. for a report of a house on fire.

Realizing the severity of the fire, first responders sounded a second alarm to bring in additional personnel and equipment, including water trucks to supplement the hydrant system. A tanker truck filling site has been set up on County Line Road.

The home was a total loss, but all residents and pets escaped unharmed. Three neighboring homes suffered minor damage due to the intense heat.

State police and local firefighters were on scene and found nothing suspicious about the cause of the fire. Further details were not available Sunday.

Support services during the fire included Boyertown, Earl, Pennsburg, Hereford, Gilbertsville and New Hanover.

EMS units on scene included Bally, Gilbertsville, Macungie and Topton. Keystone Water Rescue provided refills for mobile air tanks, and the Salvation Army canteen provided food and hydration. Corey Melcher assisted with a track hoe to remove unstable walls and allow firefighters to extinguish inaccessible areas in the collapsed debris.