(Photo by Sharon Siegel)

(Photo by Sharon Siegel)

By Sharon E. Siegel

PORT JERVIS — Approximately ten Port Jervis residents were displaced by a fire that occurred in a Pike Street apartment building at the height of last weekend’s particularly treacherous Sunday afternoon ice storm.  The upper Pike Street fire was one of three calls responded to by Port Jervis Fire Department volunteers during the icy afternoon, an afternoon in which one PJFD volunteer required transport to the hospital.

The Pike Street fire was reported by a tenant in the three-story 190 Pike Street building at approximately 1:10 p.m.   Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, which originated in a second floor rear apartment, but then spent additional time securing the rest of the building.

“A tenant was thawing pipes with a torch and caught a wall in the rear hallway/bathroom area on fire,” said PJFD Chief Joe Kowal.  “We got the fire out quickly, but we remained in the building to check other areas to make sure the fire had not extended past this wall.”

The fire caused electrical and plumbing concerns, including broken pipes, which required the power to be shut off to the building.  The Red Cross was called to assist displaced tenants who occupied multiple apartments in the building.

A PJFD firefighter was injured outside of the building when he slipped on ice and a compartment door on his company’s fire apparatus came down on his head.  He was transported to Bon Secours Community Hospital where he was treated for a laceration to the head and released.

Port Jervis and Matamoras Fire Departments spent approximately two hours on scene.  Sparrowbush, Huguenot, and Greenville Fire Departments were called for standby.

The other two Sunday calls brought firefighters to the scenes but required no further action.  One call was for a broken pipe at the Port Jervis High School.  The other was a heat-related concern at the Deerpark Reformed Church.