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Red Cross opened shelter for residents

Despite a long night of helping those who lost their homes in an apartment fire on North Second Street in Lehighton overnight, Red Cross volunteers were on the scene to set up a shelter at the community center on Monday afternoon.

Volunteers Paul Ringheiser, Gail Solomon and John Klitsch assembled at the recreation center to set up cots and other supplies to help residents that lost power following the blaze. The crew only got about three hours of sleep after helping out the nine apartment residents who lost their home with emergency services over the previous night."If you don't have power, you're welcome to come here, and we'll provide food and heat. " Solomon said. "Before, we were disaster response, and now we're doing the shelter."The borough shut the shelter down at 9 p.m. Monday, because nobody used it, borough Manager Nicole Beckett said this morning.Coal Street between Second and Third streets was out of power during the clean-up of the apartment building, while homes on Center Alley from Coal Street to Ochre Street will be without power overnight.Bethany Evangelical Church, which is not affiliated with the Red Cross, provided hot meals to victims of the power outage at 222 North St.The Red Cross also kept the residents' furry friends in mind, in case they happen to need some help as well.The Carbon Animal Response Team was on standby in case anybody had any pets that needed to be sheltered.

Crews battle the fire at 256 N. Second St. Monday. COURTESY OF NESQUEHONING HOSE COMPANY