The chief of the Newtown Township Emergency Services Department, which also serves Newtown Borough, said a potential major fire on State Street was narrowly avoided recently.
Chief Glenn Forsyth briefed Newtown Borough Council this week on the January 31 incident at Laundry Depot of Newtown on North State Street between Washington Avenue and Greene Street.
Firefighters were dispatched on the final day of January for reports of a blaze at the laundromat. They arrived and found the ceiling rafters of the business were burned through, Forsyth said.
While the fire was contained and no injuries were reported, Forsyth said the incident could have led to a “very devastating fire.”
The chief said crews were out the week before at the business for an odor investigation. At the time, no fire was found, but Forsyth stated the rafters may have been smoldering from the odor call until the call on January 31.
Investigators, according to Forsyth, said the theory is the heat from the dryers and the old, dry wood may have led to the fire.
The fire that burned the rafters was only stopped by a concrete ceiling that remained from the time the location was a meat store.
“That really stopped it,” Forsyth said.
“It could have been a very serious situation, and we’re very fortunate we were able to find the seat of the fire,” the chief added.
The borough’s building inspector worked with the fire crews to evaluate the damage.
The Newtown Township Emergency Services Department plans to have fire inspectors out in the coming weeks on State Street, which is the borough’s central business district and filled with older structures.
“Our crews are trying to check things out more extensively on State Street,” Forsyth said.
