Crews respond to fire in the former Cadillac Building in downtown Bellefonte

A handful of people were temporarily displaced Wednesday after a fire at the former Cadillac Building in downtown Bellefonte.

Maintenance personnel discovered smoke coming from the third floor ceiling of the affordable housing complex about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Firefighters found a fire between the third floor and the attic, and between the walls, Undine Fire Company Captain Malachi Moyer said.

No one was injured and no cause was determined as of Wednesday afternoon. An investigation is ongoing.

The upper floors of the building at 207 S. Allegheny St. were moderately damaged, Moyer said.

Parts of West Bishop and South Allegheny streets were closed. Moyer expected first responders to remain at the scene until at least 3 p.m.

Residents who were temporarily displaced were told to go to the Bellefonte YMCA. Members of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team were dispatched to the 11-unit building at about 2:15 p.m., according to a news release, and the Red Cross is providing emergency needs and assistance to affected residents.

Alpha, Undine, Logan, Walker and Citizen’s fire companies are all on the scene, along with Spring Township and Bellefonte police and Pleasant Gap EMS.

The century-old brick building was heavily damaged by a fire in 2009, but was rebuilt as an affordable housing complex.

This story was originally published February 9, 2022 at 1:21 PM.