Six companies responded to a 2-alarm attic fire at a vacant North Pennsylvania Avenue rowhouse Monday night before 10:30 p.m., according to Fire Chief Scott Evans.
A call came in at 10:22 p.m. of a fire at 136 N Pennsylvania Avenue. Fire companies were on the scene minutes later, Evans said. Fire could be seen coming from the third-floor windows when they arrived. Firefighters swept the building and an adjoining home, and put ventilation holes in the roof. Evans called the fire "very stubborn," and said it was under control by about 12:30 a.m.
"It was very difficult as the fire had already penetrated the walls," he said. The fire appeared to originate in the "cock loft" and attic area, he added.
The building, a three-story wood frame row house, is "widely known to be used by homeless people and vagrants," Evans said.