Posted: 10:56 am EDT October 14, 2010Updated: 6:48 pm EDT October 14, 2010
POTTSTOWN, Pa. -- Two people were rushed to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation they suffered in a three-alarm fire that destroyed their apartment building Thursday. Emergency dispatchers said they got the call shortly before 10:45 Thursday morning for a fire at North Charlotte and Walnut streets. The first crews on the scene reported heavy fire showing from a three story apartment building on the corner. They quickly struck the second and third alarms to bring extra manpower to the scene. Crews from throughout the borough and beyond, including some in neighboring Berks and Chester counties, responded.
Mark Shanaberger, 69 NewsAERIAL VIDEO: 3-Alarm Fire In Pottstown IMAGES: 3-Alarm Fire In Pottstown But the firefighters weren't the only heroes. "I don't think I saved her life, but you know, that's what she said," said Freddy Ortiz. Some are calling Ortiz a hero. He was on Facebook around 10:45 Thursday morning when he smelled smoke. "I was so paranoid," said Ortiz. "I just started knocking on people's doors." As Ortiz warned neighbors, he also managed to rescue an elderly woman who'd just fallen asleep. "I'm glad I woke her up," said Ortiz. "She'd just taken her medication and she has a heart pacer." Officials said everyone made it out of the building safely before portions started to give way. Several sections inside the building collapsed. Firefighters desperately tried to cool the roof before that collapsed, too. "It was a fire that apparently started on the first floor, somewhere near an elevator shaft, and progressed to the roof," said Chief Richard Lengel, Pottstown Fire Department. "And upon the arrival of fire units, the fire had already progressed to the roof." And while Ortiz was able to help save lives, sadly, he couldn't save his cats. "Two of my cats were in there and they were like my daughters, you understand," said Ortiz. Denise Robinson also lost her cats. "You do get an emotional build up, you know," said Robinson. "I felt like I just wanted to punch something. And that's normally not my character." The two people who were taken to the hospital are among about a dozen people who lived in apartments on the second and third floors of the building. Fire officials said the other residents are being temporarily housed by the American Red Cross at a nearby motel. "I'm just trusting and believing in God, that he has something better for me," said Robinson. Investigators are now trying to determine how the fire started. Copyright 2010 WFMZ. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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