DUBOIS – The Sandy Township Fire Department has released information pertaining to the fire that occurred at Perkins Restaurant and Bakery on Thursday. According to a report by Gant news partner WJAC TV, the restaurant’s fire suppression system failed to operate. To read that story, click here.
According to the report crews were called to Perkins at 12:33 p.m. All customers and employees were evacuated safely.
The fire started in the kitchen area and spread to the roof, where it quickly engulfed the structure. A state police fire marshal was called in to help investigate the scene. The building was severely damaged and the fire was ruled accidental in nature.
Nearby restaurant Burger King sustained smoke and heat damage.
A firefighter from Volunteer Hose Company was transported to DuBois Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released. Another firefighter from Oklahoma Fire Company was treated at the scene.
While at Perkins Sandy Township unites were called for three additional alarms that were handled by the staging crew. One alarm at Lowe’s was the result of water pressure dropping due to firemen fighting the Perkins blaze. An alarm at Eat and Park was to get rid of smoke from the building and Arby’s at the DuBois Mall had a fire in an electrical outlet. No damage was reported.
Firefighters were on-scene for about seven hours. State Route 255 was closed for four hours and reopened to traffic at 4:30 p.m. Oklahoma Fire Company was called back out at 8:40 p.m. for a rekindle.
Units on scene included: all Sandy Township Fire Department Units, Volunteer Fire Company, Union and Brady Townships, Falls Creek, Penfield, Brockway, Friendship, Reynoldsville, Fourth Ward, Clearfield, Sykesville, JE DuBois and Big Run.
Others responding to the scene included: Punxsutawney-based state police fire marshal, Sandy Township Police Department, DuBois Red Cross, B&P Railroad, DuSan Ambulance, DuBois EMS ambulance, National Fuel Gas, Penelec, PennDOT, Sandy Township Public Works, state Rep. Matt Gabler’s office, Sandy Township and Clearfield County Emergency Management Agencies, DuBois City Water Department and Ellenberger Excavation.