'It Hurt That We Couldn't Help Them:' Emmaus Firefighter

A 24-year-old first responder recalls the duplex fire that killed four in Emmaus and the firefighters' all-out efforts to save them.

A little TV time and a better-than-average hoagie were the only things that distinguished the beginning of Kasey Beck’s Sunday shift at the Emmaus Fire Department on March 17. The two other firefighters on duty, Donnie Riley III and Dave Ernst, helped pass the time in the crew room. Assistant Capt. Gabe McNabb was there to finish some paperwork. Beck’s girlfriend, Dominique, brought the hoagie from Wegmans for lunch, and at 11:53 a.m., as Beck was finishing it, the call came in. Reported as an apartment building fire at 36 S. 5th St., the four rushed out to get their gear. They jumped into Engine 711 and as soon as they left the fire station McNabb saw the smoke and immediately called a second alarm. Entrapment was broadcast, but the most …

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Funeral Fund Set Up for Emmaus Fire Victims

There are several ways to help Emmaus fire victims and survivors including a funeral fund and a fundraiser planned at McDonald's.

A funeral fund has been established for the victims of Sunday's fire that killed four people—two women, a man and a teenage boy— in Emmaus. The Lehigh County Coroner released the names of the victims Tuesday night. Donations can be made to the: Emmaus Fire Victims Funeral Fund National Penn Bank P.O. Box 193 Emmaus, Pa. 18049 McDonald's in Emmaus will host a fundraiser from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday for employee Bobby Taylor who lost his beloved girlfriend, Marie, and all his belongings in the fire. Also, Emmaus firefighters are accepting money and gift cards for survivors. Five East Penn students were left homeless. Lt. Bob Schwoyer said he is asking those who want to help to hold off with any clothing donations until he can assess the needs of…

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Crime and Fire

Fatal Fire: How to Help Emmaus Victims

Emmaus Fire Department is again organizing community effort to help families following Sunday's fatal fire in the borough.

Emmaus firefighters are accepting money and gift cards for those affected by Sunday's fatal fire in the borough—not clothing, at this time. Lt. Bob Schwoyer said he is asking those who want to help to hold off with any clothing donations until he can assess the needs of those displaced. He said he still has clothing and other items left over from the fire department's last collection drive from the New Year's Eve blaze in Emmaus, and those now left homeless will be invited to look through the earlier donations for any items they might need. Four people were killed in Sunday's fire. Their identities have not yet been released. Schwoyer said he had already received about 200 emails from people who wanted to know how they could help those …

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Donation Drive Today for New Year's Eve Fire Victims

Emmaus Fire Department spearheads community effort to help two families left homeless following a Sunday night fire on Main Street in Emmaus.

Emmaus firefighters are planning ways to help two families displaced by a Sunday night blaze that destroyed a duplex on Main Street in the borough. The families include an older couple and a father and his 11-year-old daughter. The girl was injured trying to save her dog, a Great Dane, which died in the blaze. The Emmaus Fire Department will hold a donation drive Saturday, Jan. 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the fire station, 100 North Sixth Street. The firefighters have been collecting clothes for both families and have been getting a good response to their request for help, according to Lt. Bob Schwoyer. The fire department is now working with the Red Cross to ensure that donations received beyond what the Emmaus families need will be …

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Blaze Destroys Duplex; Firefighters Plan Relief Effort

Emmaus Fire Department spearheads community effort to help two families left homeless following a Sunday night fire on Main Street in Emmaus.

Emmaus firefighters met Monday night to begin planning ways to help two families displaced by a Sunday night blaze that destroyed a duplex on Main Street in the borough. The families include an older couple and a father and his 11-year-old daughter. The girl was injured trying to save her dog, a Great Dane, who died in the blaze. The firefighters plan to open a bank account for each family for the purpose of collecting monetary donations. Those details will be available later this week. The Emmaus Fire Department has also scheduled a donation drive for Saturday, Jan. 5 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the fire station. In addition to toys and small household items, the firefighters are hoping to collect clothing for both families. Here are the …

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Scanner: Fire Rips Through Emmaus Duplex

Twin home was engulfed with flames soon after initial reports, according to emergency transmissions. At least one person received smoke inhalation.

A two-alarm fire tore through a twin home in the eastern section of Emmaus early Monday, sickening at least one and badly damaging the two joined dwellings, according to emergency scanner transmissions. Fire was reported about 12:40 a.m. on the rear porch at 502 E. Main St., according to the transmissions. A second caller, from the Dalton Street side, quickly reported a fire to the rear as well. An Emmaus ambulance was summoned to tend to at least one smoke inhalation victim, according to another transmission, even before the second alarm was struck. The first arriving Emmaus firefighters requested a second alarm, bringing a tanker from Vera Cruz, a pumper from Western Salisbury and a Rapid Intervention Team from Alburtis, the latter to …

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Fire Crews Battle Wind-Driven Blaze

Nobody injured in 2-alarm house fire on Furnace Street

Fire crews from Emmaus and Alburtis worked fast to fight a wind-whipped blaze at a twin house at 627 Furnace Street on Wednesday afternoon. No injuries were reported from the two-alarm fire that broke out around 3:30 p.m. The fire was under control within an hour. "It was quick knock down but the wind played hell with us," said Emmaus Fire Chief James Reiss. Firefighters from Alburtis were called in because of high winds. A woman in one side of the house and a man in the garage next door both escaped. A cat also got out of the burning home safely. The woman may have been taken to a hospital to get checked out as a precaution. The fire may have started on the first floor of the building but no cause has been identified yet. An investigation…

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Car in Wheels of Time Parade Catches Fire

Parade driver reroutes to North 2nd Street.

The Emmaus Fire Department was called to the scene of a car fire at North 2nd Street last night, as a vehicle participating in the annual "Wheels of Time" parade in Emmaus was engulfed in flames. The incident occurred in the area of North 3rd and Seem streets, near Lincoln Elementary School. The driver quickly moved his vehicle away from the congested parade route, driving north on 2nd Street. After crossing Harrison Street, the driver got out of his burning car, with minor injuries from the flames. The Emmaus Ambulance Corps was took him to the hospital. On-lookers gathered as firefighters quickly extinguished the flames and searched for the source of the fire. No other injuries were reported. After about an hour, North 2nd Street re-…

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