What to Know
- Fire tore through Levittown Lanes in Levittown, Pennsylvania, Wednesday morning.
- The roof of the building could be seen caving in as heavy flames and thick smoke rose from the burning bowling alley. The building was considered a total loss.
- No injuries were reported in the three-alarm blaze.
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The roof of a Bucks County bowling alley collapsed as fire tore through the building Wednesday morning. Smoke could be seen from miles away.
The fire broke out before daybreak at Levittown Lanes on New Falls Road in Levittown, Pennsylvania. People called the bowling alley a long-time staple of the community.
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"It's going to be a big loss for the community," Levittown resident Tom Krawiec said, while noting generations of families have used the bowling alley.
SkyForce10 was over the scene showing the firefight. Heavy black smoke and flames could be seen coming from the bowling alley. Part of the roof could be seen caving in around 6 a.m.
The smoke was visible from miles away on Interstate 95.
No injuries were reported as the fire expanded to three alarms. Firefighters not only battled the raging flames, but also cold temps in the 20s.
The bowling alley was empty at the time. The fire initially appeared to have started in a shed and storage area in the rear of the building before spreading, Falls Township Deputy Fire Chief Drew Zeek said.
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Lane conditioner chemicals could have fed the raging fire.
A pickup truck parked near the bowling alley also caught fire.
Crews continued to pour water onto the fire around 7 a.m. By this time, the flames had diminished and the smoke had turned from black smoke to white smoke.
Firefighters could be seen working on the front of the building, the only part of the structure that still appeared to be partially standing.
The fire was finally under control around 8 a.m., firefighters said.
There are homes near the bowling alley. The side a neighboring apartment building was charred, but remained livable.
Drivers were urged to avoid the area around New Falls Road as firefighters work to stop the fire. Besides New Falls Road, Amelia and Orchard drives were also closed.
The Pennsbury School District sent a message to school families to "please be prepared for transportation delays this morning due to a major fire on New Falls Road near Pennsbury High School."
The school district urged patience as they rerouted some bus routes to get around the fire scene.
The family-owned bowling alley has been in the Levittown community for many years. Besides bowling, Levittown Lanes features a bar and serves pizza, according to its website.
All that remained was some of the building's façade, a sign saying "Pizza, Pub, Pins" and lots of ash and debris.
"It's been a place where me and my friends have been hanging out at for a long, long time," "heartbroken" Levittown resident Tom Marconi said. "It's really going to be missed, it's definitely a staple in the community."
The loss was tough for bowling alley co-owner Allen Episcopo as they have been recovering from the pandemic. “It’s like a kick in the butt, things were just starting to get better and this happens.”
