Home remodeling firm burns
LANCASTER TWP — The state police fire marshal's office is investigating a Tuesday morning blaze that destroyed a large pole building housing offices and equipment for a family owned home building and remodeling business.
No one was injured but damage in the fire at Kelly Construction likely will hit or exceed $200,000, said Chief Neal Nanna of the Harmony Volunteer Fire Company.
“Everything is gone. Everything is a total loss,” Nanna said of the 45-foot-by-90-foot building and its contents.
Among the property up in flames was a 2005 Chevrolet Silverado, motorcycle parts, machinery, plywood, table saws and power saws. But mainly tools.
“It was crammed full of tools,” said owner Ken Kelly.
He said the tools were primarily used to make cabinets, bookcases and home entertainment centers as part of his 35-year-old business.
The building, which was next to his home on Little Creek Road, caught fire about 9:30 a.m.
Fire officials did not immediately know what sparked the blaze.
Kelly was home alone in the basement watching television when he heard his dogs barking.
“They were going ballistic,” he said. “I then heard something pop.”
Kelly, who uses crutches because of a recent surgery on his left ankle and foot, had to crawl up the steps to the front door. His wife, Sherry, was at work.
“I looked out,” he said, “and the whole front corner (of the building) was on fire and just getting into the roof.”
He called 911 but all he could do was sit on the porch, watch the flames intensify and wait for firefighters.
The fire was so intense that smoke could be seen from miles away, authorities said.
“It was fully involved and just about on the ground when we got here,” Nanna said. “Every part of the building was on fire. It went up real quick.”
The blaze threatened a separate storage garage in back of the building.“We went defensive on that secondary building,” Nanna said, shooting it with water to ensure its safety. Some melted vinyl siding was the only damage.Also saved from fire damage was a high-lift and two dump trucks outside the storage garage.A tanker shuttle was used to get water to the fire, Nanna said. Some 50 volunteer firefighters from 10 departments battled the blaze.Assisting the Harmony company were firefighters from Portersville, Prospect, Zelienople, Butler Township Fire District Station 3, Callery, Evans City and Connoquenessing in Butler County and Franklin Township and Big Knob in Beaver County.The blaze was out by 10:30 a.m. but smoke still seeped from the ashes hours later.The pole building had utilities hooked up but investigators would not speculate about a possible cause.“At this point,” Nanna said shortly before noon, “we're listing it as 'undetermined.”A fire marshal, Trooper David Jungling, examined the scene Tuesday and is leading the investigation. He was unavailable for comment this morning.Nanna estimated the damage at $200,000 to $300,000.The property is insured, said Kelly, who vowed to replace the building, which was constructed about 30 years ago.“We built that before we built our house,” he said.Kelly said the fire would not hamper his business, which has three employees two of whom are his sons.
