The night continued after the Cross Keys Road incident - for while Mount Pleasant Rescue 30 was returning to station from Cross Keys Road, the crew inside noticed a heavy smoke condition in the area of Route 183 and Hilltop Road. As they got closer to Hilltop Road, the odor got stronger. (Uh, Oh!) 

They then saw what they smelled - flames were shooting from windows and the roof of the former Abe Lincoln Restaurant at 3076 Bernville Road.

This is what was so eloquently described as a "pucker factor".

Rescue 30's crew immediately called a priority message to "Berks" reporting a working structure fire and then quickly responded back to the Mount Pleasant Fire Station to pick up Quint 30 and Tanker 30.

As Berks began to dispatch a full first alarm assignment, Greenfields Engine 55 left the accident scene and responded to the structure fire.

Arriving crews found heavy fire emitting from several windows and the roof of the two-story wood framed structure. There was a house only about 40 feet to the south of the fire building that was under extreme threat from the heat and flames. 

Firefighters quickly evacuated all residents from the exposure house and confirmed that the fire building was unoccupied.

With well over 70% involvement and strong northerly winds feeding the fire, Chief 30 declared a defensive attack on the fire building with a priority to protect the exposure buildings.

Since there were no fire hydrants in the area, a water suppy operation capable of handling this large fire took several minutes to organize and required the response of tankers from over 15 different fire companies including the Zone 2 and Zone 4 Tanker Task Forces.

Greenfields Firefighters Mahlon Auker and Zach Keppley as well as crews from Temple Fire Company fought a valiant and highly effective battle against the heat, flames and water supply interruptions to save the house. Damage to the house was kept to some singed vinyl siding and heat curled roof shingles.

As the fire raged in the restaurant building, aerial master streams were set up by Quint 30 and West Reading Ladder 64 to safely attack the fire.

Chief 30, now the appointed water supply officer, set up three dump sites to feed the attack at the fire building as well as four different fill sites to fill the tankers. Thoughout the incident, over 100 tanker fill jobs were completed flowing in excess of 350,000 gallons of water.  

Hamburg Engine 61-3 was dispatched to perform "brand partol" duties as large glowing embers from the fire were carried several hundred feet by the strong winds. The embers threatened houses and fields to the south of the fire building.

After about two and a half hours the fire building collapsed as the aerial mater streams contained the remaining fire. Crews flowed water over the fire for over six hours to fully extinguish the flames.

The building, which during its history housed restaurants, night clubs and a church was completely destroyed by the fire. The building had been for sale from a number of years. Preliminary damage estmates are $500,000.

The State Police Fire Marshal and the Bern Township Police Department are investigating the cause of the fire.

Our sincere thanks to Mount Pleasant, Western Berks, Leesport, West Reading, Temple, Bernville, Shartlesville, Strausstown, Hamburg, Rehrersburg, Central Berks, Shoemakersville, Virginville, Robesonia, Adamstown, Gouglersville, Cedar Top, Brecknock, Spring Township, and Port Clinton Fire Departments; as well as Schuylkill Valley EMS and Rehab, Spring Township Rehab and the Red Cross Canteen for all your help.