Boyertown fire claims life

A local woman was confirmed dead Tuesday after an afternoon fire at the Boyertown Community Library that closed down a portion of East Philadelphia Avenue and evacuated staff.

Boyertown police Chief Barry Leatherman said he had established verbal contact with an elderly woman in the second floor apartment at 31 E. Philadelphia Ave. after arriving at the scene.

“I heard the lady hollering for help near the rear window and I told her to stay near the window where she could be rescued,” said Leatherman.

“But then at some point she became unresponsive,” he added.

Linda Famous, a member of the library board of directors, said there are a total of three apartments above the library which is actually two joined structures.

Famous said the fire occurred in the single apartment located above the children’s reading section of the library.

Two more apartments above an adjacent building, which is also part of the library complex, were apparently unaffected by the blaze.

Famous said one is vacant while the other is occupied by library director Ed Goyda.

“The library was closed at the time, so only our staff was in there thank god,” Famous said.

Goyda, who was in the library at the time, said the staff had just finished up with a morning children’s program which runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. when they noticed smoke filling the children’s section of the library. (More)

Staff Photo: Harold Hoch