Firefighter Injured, Seven Displaced in Ambler House Fire

A fire at 58 Reiff's Mill Road in Ambler has injured one Spring Mill Fire Co. firefighter, displaced Greg and Julie Lowe and their five children, and took the life of at least one dog.

The firefighter suffered second-degree burns to both ears, reported Wissahickon Fire Co. Chief John Leadbeater, and the firefighter was transported to Abington Memorial Hospital for treatment. Several other firefighters suffered smoke inhalation and exhaustion and were treated at the scene One firefighter cut himself on equipment on a fire engine, Leadbeater said.

At present, one dog has been found dead, while another is still unaccounted for. Several cats are unaccounted for, and "a couple of birds" died in their cages. Some of the family's rabbits were saved, but a total has not been confirmed. 

Leadbeater said Wissahickon Fire Co. was dispatched at 12:30 p.m. Upon arrival of Wissahickon Fire Company's engine and ladder trucks, there was heavy fire out both sides of the first foor of the home, he said.

"Crews went in the front door with two hose lines. We were making a good knock on the fire. Then, it got away from us and got up in the walls," Leadbeater said. "It was plaster and lath ceiling and walls. The fire got behind that, and then it got up in the attic space on second floor and through the roof."

Leadbeater said he evacuated the building for safety reasons.

"We backed out and fought from the outside," he said. "We look at the conditions on the outside while firefighters are on the inside. The firefighter inside is only focusing on what the task is; they can only see one room. If something really bad is happening from the outside, they don't see it, and we have to evacuate the building." 

It took crews more than two hours to get the fire under control.

"It's a serious blaze," Leadbeater said. "It looked like we were making good progress in the first 20 to 40 minutes, and then we couldn't get to the fire." 

A preliminary investigation showed the fire started somewhere in the middle of the first floor. Ambler Borough Fire Marshal Rich Lockhart will determine the cause of the fire.

No one from the Lowe family was home at the time of the blaze, he said.

As of 4 p.m., Wissahickon Fire Co. remained in the overhaul stage, tearing out pieces of the wall and extinguishing hot spots.

"I would expect the house to be a total loss," he said. 

An American Red Cross representative said the Lowe family would be housed in a local hotel for at least three days, until its insurance kicks in.

Wissahickon Fire Co. was assisted at the scene by Centre Square Fire Co., Flourtown Fire Co., Spring Mill Fire Co., Colmar Fire Co., North Penn Fire Co., Community Ambulance Association of Ambler, Plymouth Ambulance and North Penn Goodwill Association.

A bank account to collect donations for the Lowe family is in the works. In the meantime, donation checks can be made out to "For Benefit of Greg and Julie Lowe and Family" and mailed to P.O. Box 103, Ambler PA 19002.

Mermaid Art Studios, whose owner is a neighbor of the Lowes, will be accepting clothing store gift certificate donations for the Lowe children, ranging in age from infant to 11, between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at its location at 15 E. Butler Ave. in Ambler.