ASHLAND - The cause of an apartment building fire that left 15 people temporarily homeless remained under investigation Tuesday.
Firefighters were called to the 714 W. Centre St. building about 3 a.m. Monday and extinguished the fire in about 15 minutes, Ashland fire Chief Philip Groody said, noting that the fire was contained to the rear of the building in a ground-floor apartment.
The apartment where firefighters managed to stop the fire is small, about 1 1/2 rooms, Groody said, and he is working with state police fire marshal Trooper John F. Burns in isolating a cause of the fire.
"As of now, it's under investigation," Groody said.
No tenants or emergency personnel from Ashland and surrounding communities were injured.
Ashland police Chief Adam Bernodin Jr. identified the owner of the property as Michael Ghannoum, Pottsville. He said Ghannoum was away in New York state at the time of the fire. The landlord said he has not seen the tenant who lives in the apartment where the fire started for about two months.
Bernodin also said that Ghannoum didn't know who the tenant allowed inside the apartment without his knowledge.
"We're all working together to find out who was in there at the time," Bernodin said.
Fifteen people were displaced by the fire, according to the American Red Cross Greater Schuylkill Chapter. The chapter provided services, including food and lodging, for six families affected by the blaze.
Groody said the reason so many people were displaced by the fire was that electrical service to the entire building had to be disconnected. Those displaced will be able to return as soon as the electric is restored, but only after turning the electricity on is deemed safe.
"We'll try and get his (Ghannoum) people back inside as soon as possible," Groody said.