EASTON, Pa. — The flames have long been put out, but much work remains on the 900 block of Ferry Street, both in terms of helping the former residents and deciding the future for the damaged structures, city officials say.
The buildings may be razed, Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. said.
Officials provided updates on the status of the fire victims and their road to recovery at Easton Area Neighborhood Center in South Side on Wednesday night.
- Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. has expressed the difficulty in finding housing for victims of the Ferry Street fire
- City Administrator Luis Campos said engineering reports will help decide if the properties should be razed
- Both Campos and Fire Chief Henry Henninger have advised individuals to stay away from the properties for safety's sake
Panto assured the public that the city staff is working diligently to locate housing for the victims and expressed gratitude to the numerous agencies which have aided those families and individuals in their time of need.
Panto highlighted St. John's Lutheran Church, the United Way, the Greater Easton Development Partnership, the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, the Third Street Alliance, Project Paw of Easton, and the Salvation Army, among others.
However, despite the flood of funding and material donations, it remains difficult to find safe, permanent housing in the city.
“The city still dealing with the actual site and making sure that it's properly secured, and just so everyone knows for council what the next steps are, we're waiting for an engineering report that will guide the city on what to do next with the properties, meaning ‘Do they have to come down?’ ‘Do they have to be razed?’”Easton City Administrator Luis Campos
“We don't have housing. We just don't have housing for people — 45 people were displaced, 15 properties were displaced, and that's a lot of families to find [homes for] at one time,” Panto said.
“And when we talk about building codes and requiring people to live up to their building codes, you can see the reason.
"I mean, that fire, I was there. It spread east to west because of the westerly winds and without firewalls protecting them, they just spread from one roof to the other, and it's a shame but they're probably all going to have to be razed.”
Advice for victims and warnings for trespassers
Panto and City Administrator Luis Campos said the fate of the block is uncertain.
Details, including who owns the damaged structures and the insurance coverage from the properties, prevents the city from razing the block, though that may be an option.
“The city's still dealing with the actual site and making sure that it's properly secured. And just so everyone knows for council what the next steps are, we're waiting for an engineering report that will guide the city on what to do next with the properties, meaning ‘Do they have to come down?’ ‘Do they have to be razed?'"City Administrator Luis Campos
“The city's still dealing with the actual site and making sure that it's properly secured," Campos said.
"And just so everyone knows for council what the next steps are, we're waiting for an engineering report that will guide the city on what to do next with the properties, meaning ‘Do they have to come down?’ ‘Do they have to be razed?'"
Campos said the engineering report will be presented to the Code Enforcement and Planning Office to determine a course of action.'
"With multiple insurance carriers, multiple owners, I mean, it's a fairly really complex decision that has to be made,” he said.
Panto stated 911 and 913 Ferry St. are likely “gone,” as “the only part that’s hanging up is their front wall.”
The exact cause and origin of the inferno still is being investiged.
Depending upon how things pan out in the near future, the mayor did suggest the potential for more affordable housing for the fire victims and other city residents.
Those interested in donating cash to the victims can do so via Easton's website, which provides links to trusted organizations collecting funding.
Advice for victims and warnings for trespassers
In the meantime, officials are warning former residents to be cautious when it comes to anyone offering any sort of financial or property services related to the blaze.
“Don't sign anything you're not sure of. Call us and ask us if you have to, but don't sign anything. You could be signing away hundreds of thousands of dollars that you don't need to sign way,” Panto said.
Panto added current and former Ferry Street residents have been advised not to engage in anything with any party offering remediation and should default to their insurance for any questions or concerns.
“If anyone is caught breaking in, they will be arrested and prosecuted. They also risk injury or death since the properties were heavily damaged and are unsafe. Stay away from the properties.”Easton Fire Department Chief Henry Henninger
The city administrator also pointed out he had heard, unofficially, that “there seems to be some trespassing issues, folks going into the buildings for whatever reason,” involving people who are not former residents or officials cleared to be there.
Campos advised the public to stay away from the structures while the city awaits the results of the engineering report, as imminent danger is a possibility.
Easton Fire Department Chief Henry Henninger said he was not aware of any incidents involving people breaking into the boarded-up properties, though he offered a stern warning against anyone considering trespassing.
“If anyone is caught breaking in, they will be arrested and prosecuted," Henninger said. "They also risk injury or death since the properties were heavily damaged and are unsafe. Stay away from the properties.”
