FNN Article © Monday, November 24, 2025. Image #1 & #4 by Jason Godin.
MOUNT CARMEL, PA – Residents were forced to evacuate their homes early Monday morning, November 24, 2025, as a rowhouse fire broke out in the 200 block of South in the borough of Mt. Carmel.
Homes from 219-235 South Poplar Street were directly impacted by the fire that swept through the homes. The properties at 215 and 217 South Poplar Street sustained smoke damage.
Later, the homes at 223, 225, 227 and 229 South Poplar Street ended up collapsing. Those homes would end up being knocked down due to safety concerns. Twenty-three people lost their homes in this blaze in the early hours of Monday.
It has been estimated that another dozen homes across the street and the alleyway, as well as some vehicles parked on the street, were damaged by the heat of the flames. Some vinyl siding melted on the homes due to the heat.
Calls to 911 started coming in just before 12:40 AM, as Mt. Carmel Fire Department was first to respond,. Before fire crews even arrived on scene, the fire had rapidly spread from home to home.
Shamokin, Mount Carmel and Ralpho Township firefighters took an exterior attack using an aerial ladder and crews with hoses along South Poplar Street and South Banana Street. Fire units from Schuylkill, Montour, Columbia and Snyder counties assisted Northumberland County fire departments with extinguishing the blaze.
Mount Carmel Fire Chief Jim Reed would end up requesting a third alarm as the fire consumed one home after another. Multiple fire companies from neighboring departments responded to assist with the growing blaze.
It seems a home in the middle of the rowhouse was first catch fire and flames spread quickly in both directions.
Flames continued to sweep across the row of homes as firefighters battled the inferno for hours. Some of the roofs were reported to have collapsed as crews worked to knock down the flames. Overall, six homes were reported lost as a section of South Poplar Street laid in smoldering ruins.
The fire was brought under control just before 4:00 AM. However, firefighters would remain on scene for several more hours.
The Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal was brought in to help determine the cause of the fire. However, Mount Carmel Fire Chief Reed confirmed that the fire will be ruled undetermined, due to the extensive damage to even try to follow the fire flow.
Chief Reed also noted that multiple firefighters suffered minor injuries, as did a resident due the fire. A few people were transported to area hospitals for evaluation and treatment after inhaling smoke.
An excavator had to be brought in to assist fire crews in reaching hot spots buried beneath the smoldering debris. Other excavators were brought in to take down sections of the destroyed home for safety concerns, as well.
Several fire departments were on scene for nearly eleven hours straight.
The American Red Cross is assisting the families who lost their homes. The Red Cross reported that fifteen adults and eight children were displaced due to terrible rowhouse fire.
