A fire broke out at vacant warehouse in Southeast Reading Thursday night, the second time in a week. The fire was reported around 8:30pm. Arriving on-scene, firefighters found heavy flames coming from the third floor of the building, prompting a second alarm.
This historic 137-year-old building, once a bustling brewery half a century ago, continued to be consumed by the relentless blaze, with firefighters struggling to contain the fire that had spread throughout the third floor and the roof.
As heavy smoke pushed across the city, the Berks County Department of Emergency Services advised residents affected by the smoke from the structure fire, especially those East of 5th Street to the mountain and North of Laurel to Rockland, to shelter in place with their doors and windows closed. The advisory was lifted just around midnight.
The bulk of the fire was knocked in the early morning hours of Friday, November 3rd. No injuries were reported in the blaze. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Reading Fire Marshal.
Update: The City of Reading announced Friday evening that Laurel Street will continue to be closed between South 7th Street to Spring Garden Street until Monday, November 6th, for demolition of the building.
