The Easton Fire Department quickly gained control of a fire Wednesday at one of the centerpieces of the city’s resurgence.
Firefighters were called about 5:30 p.m. to flames in the basement of Building N at 1247 Simon Blvd. in the Simon Silk Mill complex between North 13th Street and Bushkill Drive.
“This afternoon they were doing some work inside they were cutting pipe,” city fire Chief John Bast said at the scene. It smoldered and grew into a fire by about dusk.
“At this point it just looks like it was an accidental fire,” Bast said, adding later: “I can’t give you an estimate on the damage, but there were no injuries so we’re happy about that.”
Crews were packing up by 6 p.m., with fans still working to draw out smoke from the interior. The fire department cleared the scene about 6:50 p.m.
The complex is undergoing an estimated $60 million mixed-use redevelopment by Mark Mulligan’s VM Development Group LLC. The building where the fire occurred and others on site are owned by Silk Development 2 LP, a subsidiary of Mulligan’s company.
A laborer for the redeveloper spotted the fire when he looked into the window, Mulligan said Wednesday night. The basement where the fire occurred is slated for use as storage. The first-floor space is leased, Mulligan said, but he wasn’t ready to announce the tenant. The interior is unfinished.
“The good news is we haven’t really done any work in there other than put metal studs in,” Mulligan said, describing the fire as a smolder that “got going later in the day.”
“The building’s totally fine. We caught it,” he continued, thanking the fire department for a “great job.” “A little bit of smoke damage in unfinished space.”
WATCH: Drone’s-eye view of silk mill project
Featuring the sawtooth roof distinctive to structures on site, Building N is already home to Trinity Fitness, Mulligan said.
“I was told that the gym had very little smoke damage to it so it’s going to be fine,” he said.
Buildings at the mill date to 1883. Plans for the redevelopment call for 149 apartments and 50,000 square feet of warehouse space and eight businesses, including a microbrewery, the fitness center and photography studio.
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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