Fire crews from Carbon and Schuylkill counties responded to a dwelling fire at a commercial property in Coaldale on Tuesday evening.

Scanner calls reported that the fire started in the basement area of the former St. Mary of Assumption Roman Catholic Church, 225 Second St., which was sold by the Allentown Diocese in 2015, according to Schuylkill property records. The structure is now a commercial property, Coaldale fire Chief Steven Polischak said.

When crews arrived shortly after 6 p.m., smoke was visible from the basement area of the structure, which was not occupied at the time. Crews worked from both First and Second streets to gain entry to the large structure via windows and doors.

Polischak said that crews evacuated residents from an adjacent apartment building as a precaution.

The fire is being listed as accidental, he said, noting that the owner’s insurance company will determine whether the building is a total loss.

Fire crews from Summit Hill, Lansford, Nesquehoning, Tamaqua and Pottsville, as well as Lehighton and Tamaqua ambulance services, assisted Coaldale at the scene. In addition, Lehighton Fire Department staged at Nesquehoning during the response.

“I want to thank all the firemen that came to assist,” Polischak said of the response. “It was a team effort.”