Two separate fires broke out early Tuesday morning in the Minerva area, damaging a home and a pole barn within roughly 30 minutes of one another, officials said.
The first fire was reported at 5:07 a.m. at 4395 Paris Ave. SE, where a pole-barn style structure used to store tools and equipment caught fire. Osnaburg Township Fire Department, Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department and Mohawk Valley Joint Fire District provided mutual aid. Officials said the blaze did not spread to nearby structures and no injuries were reported. The cause remains under investigation.
Sandy Creek Joint Fire District was the lead agency at both scenes, coordinating the response to the Paris Avenue SE fire as well as the later structure fire on East Lincolnway.
At 5:41 a.m., firefighters responded to a structure fire at 305 E. Lincolnway in Minerva. The two-family dwelling had one apartment upstairs and one downstairs. Both families were displaced, but no injuries were reported and the structure is considered a suspected total loss. The cause remains under investigation.
Mutual aid for the Lincolnway fire included Homeworth Fire, Hanover Township Volunteer Fire Department, North Georgetown Fire Department and Great Trail Fire District. Minerva Street Department, Minerva Water Department, AEP and Columbia Gas also assisted on scene.
Crews remained at both locations throughout the morning. Additional information was not immediately released.
