No injuries were reported Saturday night after a fire inside a 114-year-old Tamaqua commercial building sent occupants fleeing out onto the street.

Firefighters from the Tamaqua and Coaldale fire departments responded to an 8:33 p.m. structure fire at the William J. Murphy Beer Distributor building, 443 Pine St.Initial reports from the Schuylkill Communications Center indicated a working structure fire at the rear of building and that all occupants had safely exited the wood-frame commercial unit.The 1900-era building is unique in that the rear of the structure is cantilevered over the Little Schuylkill River, which meant firefighters were limited in their approach to battling the smoky blaze.Firefighters required use of an aerial ladder to reach the affected rear area of the building by extending the ladder from the front side, or Pine Street, Route 309 north.As a precaution, the Coaldale aerial truck also was summoned to the scene.Large snow piles, tight space, limited access, frozen streets and 20-degree temperatures posed special challenges to first responders.In fact, initial instructions from the comm center asked fire truck drivers arriving at the scene first to position their vehicles in a manner to leave space for aerial ladders which would need space to gain access to the site.Firefighters were able to quell the blaze within 30 minutes and fast response saved the historic structure.While smoke appeared to be coming from a second floor storage area, firefighters determined the blaze to be confined to the rear first floor."We don't know yet what was burning," said Chief James Connely, American Hose Co., moments after the flames had been extinguished.There was no estimate of damage. By Sunday, workers appeared to be starting cleanup operations, carrying burned or damaged drywall or panels, along with insulation, and piling it on the covered front porch.Also responding to the alarm were Tamaqua ambulance, Tamaqua Rescue and Tamaqua Fire Police.Firefighters were grateful that the nearest fire hydrant located near 500 Pine St. had been cleared of snow, allowing responders fast access to water.Northbound traffic was rerouted along Schuylkill Avenue for about 90 minutes.The cause of the fire is under investigation.The Murphy Beer Distributor building was known for decades as Conrad's Service Station and General Store, one of the region's first gas stations, according to historical documents.The operation began under William R. "Cap" Conrad, whose family moved to Tamaqua from Germany in the 1840s.The family operated an 1880s grocery business along the 500 block of Pine Street, then known as Water Street.The business expanded to include gasoline in 1924 when a concrete road was installed at the north end of Tamaqua and cars became more prevalent.In the 1950s and 60s, the Conrad complex also housed residential apartments on the upper level.The Conrad family businesses also sustained a devastating fire in 1917, according to early documents.The Conrad family owned the building until 1977, according to the Schuylkill Parcel Locator.