An overnight fire in Oley Township left two homes in ruins.
The blaze was discovered about 12:10 a.m. Thursday in the 500 block of Manatawny Road by the couple who occupy one of the homes on the opposite side of the road from Union Jack’s Inn on the Manatawny.
They were awakened by what sounded like an explosion, and when they looked out they saw the vacant house at 539 Manatawny Road, located within 5 feet of their residence, on fire, Oley Fire Company Assistant Chief Austin Schaeffer said.
The married couple got out safely and called 911, but not before their own house at 537 Manatawny was on fire, he said.
The first fire crew to arrive found both houses engulfed in flames, rendering it futile to try to save them.
“It pretty much turned into a defensive operation at both homes,” Schaeffer said.
Crews from at least eight fire companies, some of which sent tanker trucks that shuttled water from a nearby pond, needed about 45 minutes to control the flames, Schaeffer said.
The last crew returned to the station at 4:30 a.m.
No one was injured.
A state police fire marshal arrived after daybreak to investigate the cause of the fire, Schaeffer said.
Both houses were deemed a total loss. Schaeffer didn’t know the exact ages of the homes but said they were quite old.
A damage estimate was unavailable.
The American Red Cross was assisting the homeowners at 537 Manatawny, Schaeffer said. According to Berks County online property records, the home is owned by Francis and Sherree Rose of that address.
Source: Berkshire mont