Multiple fires were reported in the past day or so across the region, including one that caused major damage to building in St. Marys.

Fire companies from Elk and Cameron counties spent much of Friday morning battling an intense St. Marys structure fire that gutted the former site of a downtown furniture store. The cause had not been released as of press time Friday.

One St. Marys firefighter suffered from a cut hand while battling the blaze at the former Suzy’s Furniture Store building at 590 South St. Marys Street (Route 255), according to St. Marys Fire Chief Bill Kraus. The injured firefighter “was in the process of pulling some metal off (the building), and it ripped through his glove,” Kraus explained. He said the cut was not severe, but added the firefighter was taken to Penn Highlands Elk by a St. Marys Ambulance for treatment.

Kraus explained the furniture store owner had recently retired and sold the building, which was originally an E & G Auto Parts store. While the building was “pretty much vacant,” Kraus said he believed one or more businesses or organizations that planned to rent the building have started to move belongings in.

“We had been called out about 2:45 a.m.,” said Kraus. “When we got there, there appeared to be heavy involvement toward the center of the structure.” He explained flames were showing on the side of the building that faced St. Marys.

At the start of the attack on the fire, crews were placed in two areas, but they were pulled out due to the severity of the fire, and they started a defensive attack, Kraus explained. Meanwhile, “The smoke on Route 255 was so intense” it hampered efforts to fight the fire.

“We were not only hindered by smoke,” said Kraus, who added that, “cold as it was,” they were fighting the hazard of slippery grounds by putting down antiskid. “Fortunately, nobody slid.”

“Everybody was very careful and did a great job this morning taking care of each other,” Kraus said. “We appreciate the help of all the surrounding fire departments.”

According to Kraus, Route 255 was closed for about five hours Friday morning between Ford Road and Arch Street as crews attempted to extinguish the flames.

The fire inside the warehouse-type building brought firefighters from numerous departments. The Crystal Fire Department of St. Marys was called first to the scene, and a second alarm brought firefighters from other departments. Serving on scene were crews from Johnsonburg, Fox Township, Ridgway, Jay Township and Emporium, as well as St. Marys City police and ambulance, according to Kraus. A crew from Wilcox stood by in Johnsonburg, a Penfield crew stood by in Jay Township, and Brockway and Horton Township crews stood by in Fox Township.

Firefighters were on scene until nearly 8:30 a.m., said Kraus, who added the fire chiefs went back after that to assist with the investigation of the fire, which caused around $200,000 in damage to the newly renovated building.

The cause remains under investigation by a Clearfield-based state police fire marshal, he said.

A few other calls kept area firefighters busy as well.

Emporium Engine Co. and ambulance were dispatched just before 9 p.m. Thursday to a chimney fire at 2856 Sizerville Road in Shippen Township.

A spokesperson with the department said no one was injured, and the fire was able to be contained to a pipe in the wall of the home.

He said the department responded with two engines and a tanker, and about 20 firefighters who were on scene for roughly 45 minutes.

“We just went in and checked for extension. There was no extension, we cleared the pipe out. It was just a clogged flue pipe,” the spokesperson said.

Mount Jewett Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched at 12:15 p.m. Thursday to 87 East Main St. for a structure fire that ended up being a small fire under the kitchen sink, where residents had been trying to thaw water lines and caught the floor on fire, according to Fire Chief Dan Gustafson.

Gustafson said there were no injuries and only minor fire damage.

The department responded with four pieces of equipment and approximately 18 firefighters, who were on scene for an hour and a half doing overhaul, according to Gustafson. He said they took out a one-foot square in the floor to ensure there was no extension and no remaining hot spots that could ignite later.