Crime and Fire

Dog Burns Nose, Paws; Cat Missing in Tee Court Fire

Neighbor calls 911 to report that house next door is on fire, according to emergency radio transmissions.

A family of three escaped a Lower Macungie Township house fire uninjured on Tuesday night, but three pets were affected and a fourth pet, at last word, was still missing, according to a fire official. Volunteers from Lower Macungie Fire Department and Trexlertown were called  1199 Tee Court at 9:41 p.m. A caller in the Shepherd Hills development reported a neighbor's house was on fire, according to emergency scanner transmissions. The first Lower Macungie Fire Department officer to arrive reported heavy smoke coming from the home. He later reported flames to the rear of the home climbing from the first floor and up the back of the two-story townhouse, the transmissions said. It took firefighters from Lower Macungie, Trexlertown and …

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Man Threatened to Stab 2 Women, Burn House, Police Say

Two Emmaus women were harassed by an Upper Macungie man who threatened to stab them in the head and burn down their house, police say.

Two Emmaus women were harassed by an Upper Macungie man who threatened to stab both of them in the head and burn down their home on S. 11th Street, according to court papers. Russell J. Gallagher, 41, was taken into custody by Emmaus Police about 11 p.m. Feb. 9, after one of the women reported that someone had been circling the block around their home and had used the spare key fob for her car to set off the car alarm. She also told police that he had been repeatedly calling her on the phone. Police issued Gallagher a harassment citation and brought him back to his home at 1063 Mosser Road, Breiningsville. He was told not to contact the woman or return to her neighborhood in Emmaus. Police report that soon after being dropped off at home, …

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Macungie Area Fire and Ambulance Get State Grants

Fire and ambulance crews in Macungie and Lower Macungie are benefiting from a state grant program

EMMAUS — Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Berks/Lehigh) has announced that 15 volunteer fire and emergency response organizations located within portions of Berks and Lehigh counties, in the 134th Legislative District, were awarded nearly $120,000 in state funding under an ongoing grant program created by the Legislature and administered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and Office of the State Fire Commissioner. “This grant program is a great way to help support our local volunteer fire and emergency service personnel who protect the residents across our district,” said Mackenzie. “These state grants will help support our local organizations in their mission of protecting the public because they’ll be able to use this money for …

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Cat Dies as Upper Milford Home Burns

Five adults were displaced by a fire in a single-family dwelling at 3320 S. 7th Street that broke out around dinnertime Tuesday.

A fire that reportedly began in a bedroom of an Upper Milford Township home around dinnertime Tuesday killed one of two pet cats living in the house. Although the blaze at 3320 S. 7th Street was quickly extinguished, none of the five adults living in the home were able to stay there last night, according to Emmaus Fire Police Captain Jeff Kuhns, who said that smoke from the fire had damaged the entire single-family dwelling. Kuhns was on duty at the intersection of S. 7th and Furnace streets, helping to direct traffic as neighbors came home from work yesterday and tried to access their homes and driveways. The Red Cross was called in at about 5:30 p.m. to supply relief to the residents, and provided food and clothing to one adult, …

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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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Firefighters Save Farmhouse Restaurant Before Blaze Spreads

The Farmhouse is open for business as usual after firefighters quickly put out a fire behind the popular eatery early Sunday morning.

Firefighters responded to a fire early Sunday behind The Farmhouse Restaurant, 1449 Chestnut Street, and were able to knock it down before it could damage the kitchen. Michelle Quier, manager at The Farmhouse, said there was only minimal damage to the vestibule that leads to the kitchen and that the restaurant is open for business.  She said the fire started out back near a trash bin. “There’s a vestibule hallway before you get to the kitchen and that’s where the fire reached. … The alarm pad is there so it went off immediately,” Quier said. Emmaus Fire Chief Jim Reiss said the investigation has been handed over to Emmaus Police. He said they don’t know yet how it started and the cause remains under investigation. Emmaus Police were called…

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Crash Shuts Down Route 222 South

State police close Route 222 Monday morning because of a truck fire and diesel spill.

Route 222 southbound is closed near Route 100 in Trexlertown because of a truck fire as well as downed wires and a fuel spill, according to multiple reports. There are heavy traffic delays and drivers are urged to avoid the area. Did you see the fire? Upload your photos to this story. State police on the scene are directing traffic off of Route 222 southbound onto Route 100. The accident was first reported around 10:20 a.m. with heavy smoke showing in the area. Occupants of the truck were able to get out safely, according to a Morning Call report.

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Tom De Martini

8:25 pm on Monday, August 13, 2012

A shout out to Edward Earley for sending in photos of this morning's crash.   more ›

Countryside Fire Helps Give Birth to Creamery on Main

Popular new restaurant on Emmaus Triangle is nearly one year old.

Editor's Note: This story is Part II of a two-part feature on the blaze that gutted Countryside Restaurant one year ago. That fire preceded the birth of Creamery on Main. The fire that gutted the Countryside Restaurant in Upper Milford Township one year ago, wasn't Countryside proprietor Bill Kao's reason for opening Creamery on Main on the Emmaus Triangle. But, the fire surely sped up the Creamery's birth. Besides having to think and act quickly after the fire, Kao also said he learned a few things. "The community support was phenomenal," he said. What do you like best about Creamery on Main? Tell us in the comments. Following the fire, patrons came from Upper Milford and beyond to Kao's new venture, Creamery on Main on The Triangle in …

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Lyle Richardson

9:55 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012

I saw someone looking at the building on the hill today. Anyone know if anything is going on up there ???? I talked to Bill before the fire and we talked about putting in a miniature golf course up there would have been a great spot for a nice course.   more ›

Blaze at Upper Milford's Countryside Melted Dreams

Countryside "ice cream stand" -- a regional tradition for decades -- burned one year ago today.

Editor's Note: This story is Part I of a two-part feature on the blaze that gutted Countryside Restaurant one year ago today. Look for Part II tomorrow. The approach of Memorial Day and end to another school year traditionally have signaled the start of "Ice Cream Season" at Countryside Restaurant. For decades, a landmark overlooking Emmaus and Macungie where Routes 29 and 100 meet in Upper Milford Township, Countryside -- first known as Kressley's Cree-Mee-Freez -- was the quintessential roadside ice cream stand in our very midst. What's your favorite memory of Countryside Restaurant? Tell us in the comments. Patrons sat on benches or in the grass of the hillside overlooking the valley below as they licked at twirled soft ice cream and …

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