Dozens of firefighters battled 'stubborn' blaze
OAKLAND TWP — The state police fire marshal is investigating a Wednesday night fire that destroyed a large garage on Route 68.
Two cars, at least one motorcycle and an all-terrain vehicle, tools and other equipment were among some of the property lost in the blaze that was reported about 8:40 p.m. No one was injured.
The building, which is across the road from O'Donnell's Beer Distributor, also was badly damaged in a fire Aug. 13, 2015.
“It was fully involved when we got there,” Paul Patten, assistant chief for the Oneida Valley Volunteer Fire Department, said of the most recent blaze. “All the property inside was burned up.”
Fire crews were left with no other options but an exterior attack, authorities said. Since there were no available fire hydrants, firefighters had to use a tanker shuttle for water.
The Chicora Volunteer Fire Department's ladder truck also was deployed to attack the flames from above the 50-foot-by-50-foot wood building, which included three stalls and an apartment.
The apartment, which was on the second floor, was vacant.
Between 40 and 50 firefighters from 10 departments helped battle the blaze. It took two to three hours before it was finally extinguished.
“It was a stubborn one,” Patten said of the fire.
The fire burned so hot that it melted the vinyl siding on a neighboring home.
Fire officials did not know where the fire started or what caused it.
Trooper David Jungling, a deputy fire marshal at the police barracks in Butler Township, was at the scene later that night to begin his investigation.
He did not return a telephone call Thursday.
The cause of the 2015 fire was undetermined, Patten said.
John Zanicky, who lives nearby, owns the building. He was unavailable for comment and did not immediately return a call Thursday.
Assisting the Oneida Valley VFD were firefighters from East Butler, Lick Hill, Chicora, Petrolia, Herman, Saxonburg, West Sunbury, North Washington and Prospect.
