From the Pottsville Republican, 15 November 1966:
140 WORKERS AFFECTED
$100,000 Loss in Fire At Valley View Factory
Disaster struck one of Western Schuylkill County’s major industries when fire of undetermined origin leveled the Valley View Enterprises Inc. factory this morning.
The blaze, believed to have started near a boiler room in the center of the plant, caused damage unofficially estimated in excess of $100,000 and left 140 to 160 workers, mostly women, without employment.
Firemen from eight communities battled the blaze, which started at 8:40 a.m., for over two hours. The ruins were still smouldering at 11:30 a.m.
Workers at the factory, which manufactures housecoats, salvaged as much of the unfinished and unfinished material as possible. The cloth and completed housecoats were stored in the Valley View Fire Company.
Auxiliary members of the Valley View Fire Company prepared coffee and sandwiches for firemen and other volunteer help.
The plant, operated by Oscar Stutzman of Valley View, and a New York partner, is a complex of two one-story concrete block buildings. It is located on Maple Street.
Several of the female employees of the factory were treated at the Valley View Fire Company by Dr. M. L. Haring of Valley View for shock and smoke inhalation.
“Flash of Flame”
One of the women workers said there was a flash of flame near the center of the factory adjacent to the boiler room. Clouds of smoke almost immediately filled the area.
The women carried bundles of material and finished housecoats on hangers to the fire company for safety. The fire house was crowded with employees in a state of shock as the watched in disbelief as their means of livelihood went up in smoke. The approach of Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons made the blow even harder.
Fire Police regulated traffic at intersections approaching the disaster assisted by troopers of the Schuylkill Haven state police detail.
Good Community Spirit
Chief of Police Lyke Clark of Hegins Township, who gave the unofficial estimate of the damage had high praise for the firemen, volunteers and workers from regional independent mines who came to the area to render assistance.
“The western end of Schuylkill County is one area that really pitches in to help and goes all out when disaster strikes,” Clark said. “Men just drop whatever they are doing, whether at work in a garage, factory or in an independent mine, and rush to the disaster scene to render whatever help is needed.”
At the height of the blaze a pall of smoke hung over the entire Hegins Township area and could be seen for miles. Several homes adjacent to the fire scene suffered smoke damage.
Clark said an exact estimate of the damage could not be made until company officials had inspected the building and checked the machinery. The plant has been in operation in Valley View for over 25 years.
Fire apparatus on the scene came from Valley View, Tremont, Tower City, Orwin, Gratz, Hegins, and Mandata in addition to line crews of Pennsylvania Power and Light Company and Commonwealth Telephone Company. The PP&L workmen utilized a “snorkel type” lift to cut power lines entering the plant. The Tower City fire company also had their emergency truck equipped with smoke masks and fans, on the scene.
The Kocher Coal Company at Good Spring sent their mine rescue and first aid crew to the scene along with fire fighting and rescue equipment.
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For other blog posts related to this industry, see Valley View Enterprises.
Special thanks to Jerry Umholtz of Valley View for a collection of news articles and pictures related to the fire, rebuilding, and re-opening of this plant. His grandmother was one of those who worked at the plant and his father was across the street waiting for the school bus when the fire broke out.. The image of the front page from the Pottsville Republican is from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.