Pine Grove fire
cause not yet known
PINE GROVE — The cause of a fire that destroyed a landmark borough business earlier this month has yet to yet to be determined.
Flames were discovered just before 6 p.m. May 1 at Lehr’s Feed and Farm Supply at 10 Snyder Ave., bringing firefighters from Pine Grove and surrounding communities to the scene.
Despite efforts to contain the blaze, the fire reduced the once-thriving business to a pile of ash and metal.
Pine Grove Fire Chief David Sattizahn said the building was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and eventually spread to a nearby storage facility — Derfler’s Self Storage.
State police fire marshal Trooper John F. Burns of the Frackville station is assisting Pine Grove fire officials in trying to find out what started the fire.
As of Wednesday, Burns said no cause has been found.
“At this point it is still undetermined,” the fire marshal said.
Sattizahn said no injuries were reported and that the owners of the feed store said their business was insured.
State police release
activity information
LYKENS — State police at Lykens reported receiving a total of 453 calls during the month of April.
In the crime division, troopers said there were 120 offenses reported, 115 determined to be valid and 90 cleared, resulting in 88 arrests.
For the patrol division, troopers reported investigating 31 crashes involving three injuries and no fatalities.
Included were three hit-and-run crashes and police said they issued 295 traffic citations, 129 warning notices and made 14 DUI arrests.
Police: Man
violated PFA
ASHLAND — A borough man was jailed after being arrested Tuesday morning by Ashland police for violating a Protection From Abuse order.
Police said they received a complaint about 9:45 a.m. from a woman at 524 Oakland Ave. that Greg Williams, 45, of 927 Market St., came to the rear of her home, violating the PFA order filed against him.
A warrant was obtained for Williams and police said he was subsequently taken into custody for violating the PFA order and also on a warrant issued for another PFA violation.
Williams was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Christina E. Hale, Frackville, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $50,000 straight cash bail, police said.
Truck driver cited
in I-78 collision
HAMBURG — Two drivers escaped injury when their vehicles collided about 12:15 a.m. Tuesday in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 78, near mile marker 20.4 in Upper Tulpehocken Township, Berks County.
State police at Hamburg said Tyrone J. Wilson, 42, of Roselle, New Jersey, was driving a 2004 Freightliner truck east in the right lane as Carl J. Bair, 57, of Harrisburg, was driving a Mack Pinnacle truck and was stopped due a backlog of traffic due to a construction zone.
Police said Wilson tried to avoid hitting the Bair truck by swerving to the right but was unable to do so and collided with the other truck.
Wilson will be cited for driving at an unsafe speed as a result of the crash, police said.
Woman not hurt
in I-81 accident
FRACKVILLE — A Mahanoy City woman escaped injury when the 2006 Subaru Legacy she was driving crashed about 6:45 a.m. Wednesday in the northbound lanes of Interstate 81, at mile marker 127.2 in Ryan Township.
State police at Frackville said Cheryl A. Souchak, 59, was driving north when she passed a tractor-trailer on the right and then came behind a slow-moving tractor-trailer in the right lane.
Souchak swerved to the left to avoid hitting the back of the slower moving truck, causing her to lose control, cross the left lane and go down an embankment where her car struck several trees before coming to a stop.
Police said Souchak will be cited for not driving on roadways laned for traffic as a result of the crash.