Fire Under Investigation, Residents Displaced in Warminster

WARMINSTER, PA —The cause of an early Thursday morning fire at a York Road condominium complex is under investigation, the township's fire marshal said Friday.

Warminster Township Fire Marshal Joe Velten said there was "heavy fire" in a second-floor apartment in the Saxony Manor Condominiums that left two people injured and the occupants of six units displaced for an extended period.

Velten said the cause and origin of the fire has not been determined.

Velten said the Hartsville Fire Company responded at 2:10 a.m. Thursday to the 1100 block of York Road to find smoke and fire from the roof and possible entrapment.

He said the bulk of the fire was contained to an apartment. But that the two apartments on both sides of the unit suffered damage along with other units.

He said residents of eight of the units were able to return to their apartments the day after the fire, but that residents of six units will be displaced for some time. The Red Cross did not need to be called in, Velten said.

Two people were injured, with one occupant leaving on their own while the other had to be taken out.

He said he believed both were transported to Abington Hospital. Their conditions and names have not been released by authorities.

He said a warming tent was set up outside the apartment complex for residents and firefighters due to colder temperatures.

Velten said he was on the scene at the time of the fire and returned hours later with an investigative team. He said he may have an idea of the cause but "nothing conclusive."

"This was a Super Bowl type of call," he said. "We needed to bring the best for a worst-case scenario."

Fire Departments from Horsham, Warrington, Warwick, Southampton, and Willow Grove, among others, assisted in containing the fire.

Velten said the Central Bucks EMS also responded along with Tri-Hampton Ambulance Support.

The fire marshal said that firefighters did a great job with a quick response, especially when there's a call at a multi-family complex with entrapment.

Velten said apartment fires can "act like a chimney" and spread quickly due to shared walls and whether fires get into cabinets and utilities.

He said that all of the apartment dwellers had a place to go after being displaced and encouraged people to purchase renter's insurance for these types of emergencies.