Music store owner among those displaced by Pottsville fire

Republican Herald (Pottsville, PA)

Apr. 15—POTTSVILLE — Steve Foltin stood outside his business, Foltin Music Center, while firefighters carried out musical instruments that could be salvaged.

They set sooty drums and guitars on a tarp in the parking lot of the business complex along Route 61 that was heavily damaged by fire Wednesday morning.

Foltin said he opened the business in 2002 and did everything from music lessons to instrument repairs and sales.

"I do have insurance, but I don't think it will be enough to cover everything," he said.

The fire did extensive damage to the two-story concrete structure at 450 N. Claude A. Lord Blvd. (Route 61), known as the former Davis Building.

Pottsville Fire Chief James Misstisshin said firefighters from Pottsville and departments throughout Schuylkill County responded to the 6:28 a.m. call and found heavy smoke. They were forced to close all four lanes of Route 61 for several hours during rush hour because fire hoses were placed across both the north- and southbound lanes.

In addition to several businesses that sustained various degrees of damage, two people living in an apartment on the second-floor back of the building were displaced. Patty Daley, disaster captain with the Red Cross, said Richard Ratta and his son, Anthony, will be assisted with food, clothing and shelter. They were evaluated by Schuylkill EMS on scene.

Misstishin said firefighters brought the fire under control at 8:33 a.m., but several Pottsville companies remained on the scene into the afternoon to assist in the investigation and in the event the blaze would rekindle.

In addition to Foltin Music Center, the complex housed Six-One Vapor Lounge and a tattoo studio that recently opened, all facing Route 61, and Gary Brennan II-Aflac insurance, which sustained extensive damage from fire, smoke and water. The entire building sustained heat and smoke damage.

Misstishin, who was still at the scene into the late afternoon hours, said the cause remains under investigation.

"As of right now we don't have any idea what the cause is," he said.

He has contacted a state police fire marshal to assist with the investigation.

There may have been a few other businesses at the rear of the building, Misstishin said.

Foltin said he was told by firefighters the blaze could have started in a ceiling area on the first floor of the building.

"I don't know too much right now," he said at the scene.

He stood outside his business with Sajun Matharu, owner of Six-One Vapor Lounge. Matharu said that when he arrived about 45 minutes after the fire was reported, heavy smoke was still coming from the building.

He said he did not know the extent of damage to his business because had not been able to get inside.

An attempt to reach the owner of the building, James Coulson, was unsuccessful on Wednesday.

While crews battled the fire, Pottsville fire police shut down the northbound lanes of Route 61 south of the scene while state police troopers, Pottsville police and Pottsville fire police closed southbound lanes. The diverted traffic clogged nearby roads and downtown streets amid the smell of smoke.

In a social media posting, the Pottsville Fire Department thanked Dunkin Donuts, Bowers Donuts, McDonalds of Pottsville and Roma Pizza for providing food and drinks to volunteer responders.

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