A middle-of-the night apartment house fire on the unit block of West Broad Street in Tamaqua on Saturday has been termed suspicious.

No injuries were reported but several residents fled into the street in bitter cold air when a fire erupted at 1:45 a.m. in the four-story apartment building at 43-45 W. Broad St.Smoke and embers were shooting from the top rear of the building by the time firefighters arrived on scene.Fast work by firefighters prevented flames from spreading to adjoining buildings, including Daniel E. Bingaman Insurance Agency to the west and Sherry Dental to the east.Several residents were displaced, and it is unclear when they will be able to return.Fire officials say the fire appears to have started on the third floor in an apartment that should have been empty and unoccupied.There is concern that squatters were living in the space illegally.The large, brick building is familiar to generations of local residents as the former J.J. Newberry, a popular five-and-ten-cent store since the 1920s.The J.J. Newberry Co. chain of variety stores was sold to McCrory Stores in 1972, followed by a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy filing in 1992.The structure spans the block from West Broad to West Rowe streets, and the fire was concentrated approximately midsection on the third and fourth floors.The building houses Phong's Nail Salon on the first floor and multiple apartments on the three upper floors.According to Schuylkill County Courthouse records, the building is owned by Roma Realty Group of Schnecksville.The fire is under investigation.Tamaqua Fire Department, Tamaqua Rescue Squad, Tamaqua Community Ambulance, police and fire police responded.