4-Alarm Blaze Shutters Montgomery Avenue

A four-alarm fire early Wednesday morning badly damaged two businesses and closed a portion of Montgomery Avenue.

The fire, on the 900 block of Montgomery Avenue along the Narberth-Penn Valley line, broke out around 5 a.m., 6ABC reported.

Fast Signs and an unoccupied commercial space were badly damaged by the blaze, ABC said. The unoccupied space was the future home of Main Line Cycles, NBC Philadelphia said.

Montgomery Avenue was shut down eastbound from Old Gulph Road to Iona Avenue, and westbound from Brookhurst Road to Old Gulph Road, Lower Merion Township Police said.

Lower Merion Fire Chief Chas McGarvey told 6ABC that firefighters’ efforts were hampered by downed PECO wires behind the commercial buildings as well as a water main on Grayling Avenue, which affected hydrants.

McGarvey told NBC that the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but that there are indications that it was electrical.

There were no reported injuries.