Kleinfeltersville Hotel heavily damaged by fire
The Kleinfeltersville Hotel in Kleinfeltersville was heavily damaged by fire early Wednesday.
(Kleinfeltersville) — An overnight fire ripped through the 150-year-old Kleinfeltersville Hotel, severely damaging the three-story building, displacing at least four people and killing a cat and a dog.
Damage is estimated at $750,000, according to state police at Reading, who investigated the fire. That amount is for the building itself and commercial kitchen and bar supplies.
Working smoke detectors alerted the second-floor tenants in the building to the fire, which was called in to the Schaefferstown Fire Co. at 1:12 a.m., according to fire Chief Nelson Leid.
The first floor of the structure, which stands along Route 897, is used as a restaurant and bar, the second floor is the living quarters of the owner, Curtis Hollinger, and the third floor consisted of three apartments.
The pets were in Hollinger’s apartment and he was not home at the time of the fire, the chief said.
At least three people lived in the apartments, and all dispersed to bunk with friends or family for the time being, Leid said.
“When we arrived, there was heavy smoke coming out of the second and third floor windows; no flames were shooting out at that point,” Leid said. “Everybody was out here, standing in the parking lot.”
The fire took more than two hours to get under control, Leid said.
Photo by Lebanon Daily News
Smoke pours from the Kleinfeltersville Hotel as fire fighters from nearly a dozen fire companies battle the early Wednesday morning blaze.
The fire appears to have started in the downstairs kitchen area, and also appears to be accidental at this time, according to Lebanon County Fire Marshal Mike Tribioli.
“The second and third floors are severely damaged,” Tribioli said. “We think it started in the kitchen area and went up the walls.”
Tribioli didn’t have an estimate of the cost, but said everything inside was heavily damaged.
While the tenants got out safely, Tribioli said he doesn’t believe they were able to take any belongings with them.
After the fire had been extinguished Wednesday morning, the hotel’s chef, Ed Kale, Womelsdorf, stood across the road from the hotel, looking on in disbelief.
“It’s gone,” Kale said. “It doesn’t look like there’s anything left.”
Kale received a call about 2 a.m. from one of the cooks at the hotel, who told him the place was on fire. He then called Curtis Hollinger, the owner.
“He’s in shock; I don’t think he knows how to respond to it yet,” Kale said.
Kale said Hollinger had gone to Good’s Store in Schaefferstown this morning to get dry clothing to wear, since he lost everything in the fire.
Hollinger had owned the building for the past four years, Kale said.
About 70 firefighters from close to a dozen companies responded to the call,Leid said, with some units coming from Lancaster and Berks counties.
“There is extensive damage, but it’s not a total loss,” Leid said. “I think it will be re-buildable.”
Photo by Marylouise Sholly
Police tape on the porch prevents entry into the burned out shell of the Kleinfeltersville Hotel on Route 897, just west of Schaefferstown, that was heavily damaged by fire Wednesday morning.
The first two stories of the Victorian-style building are brick, the third is wood-framed, Leid said. The building is constructed with heavy timbers under the brick walls, the fire chief said.
A second-story balcony graces the east side of the building. It hasn’t been determined if that is structurally sound. A wooden deck, used for dining and entertainment during the summer months, was not damaged, Leid said.
The Salvation Army disaster truck was in the parking lot, feeding firefighters who were still at the scene Wednesday morning.
This article comes to us through a partnership between Lebanon Daily News and WITF.
Sometimes, your mornings are just too busy to catch the news beyond a headline or two. Don’t worry. The Morning Agenda has got your back. Each weekday morning, host Tim Lambert will keep you informed, amused, enlightened and up-to-date on what’s happening in central Pennsylvania and the rest of this great commonwealth.
