HAZMAT arrives at fire scene, several cars still under collapsed garage roof

Lancaster County HAZMAT arrived at about 3 o'clock this afternoon at the scene of today's fire on Union Street and Corn Avenue. A backhoe from Houseal Plumbing was also on scene to remove the collapsed garage roof and other debris from atop several cars buried there. The multi-unit apartment building next to Union Street Laundry has been condemned.

Fire damages several structures on the 500 block of Union Street

Several departments responded to a fire call at Union Street and Corn Avenue late this morning. The fire reportedly started in a garage on Corn Avenue where several cars are stored. The garage, which is near the Union Street Laundry, has collapsed, and the fire also damaged a neighboring residence and a building with several apartment units.

MORE DETAILS WILL FOLLOW

Smoke from the fire was visible several blocks away.

The smoke was also visible from Wrightsville.

[Photo by Bob Hammer]

Columbia Borough approves one-time bonus to former interim manager

At a virtual meeting, Borough Council voted 6-1 to provide a one-time bonus of $4,000 to police Chief Jack Brommer for serving five weeks as interim borough manager. Councilperson Eric Kauffman voted against the bonus.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-borough-approves-one-time-bonus-to-former-interim-manager/article_3639f8ce-8048-11ea-8384-2f944bd51324.html?utm_medium 

Wolf admin. orders businesses to require face masks for workers, customers

The Wolf administration said Wednesday that it's ordering essential businesses operating under the state's stay-at-home order to require face masks for customers and workers. The order is effective immediately and will be enforced beginning Sunday at 8 p.m.

Under the order, most businesses must bar non-essential visitors who are not wearing masks from the premises. And employers have to provide masks to workers or approve homemade masks for employees to wear. Workers don't have to use the masks during meal breaks. 

MORE:

https://www.penncapital-star.com/covid-19/wolf-admin-orders-businesses-to-require-face-masks-for-workers-customers/ 

VIDEO: Columbia Borough Weekly Coronavirus Update

 The link is HERE.

UPDATED Columbia Borough Council Meeting Packet - 4/14/2020

Download HERE.

High winds wreak havoc around the area today

[Photo by Drew Nyce]

Today's high winds wreaked havoc around the area, as evidenced by the missing siding on the house shown above, on South 5th Street.  

[Submitted photo, name withheld by request]

The winds also brought down a tree on South 2nd Street and left it hanging over into Avenue J (shown here and below).

[Submitted photos]

The tree was removed from Avenue J later in the day.

 PPL responded to wires down on the first block of South 4th Street.

[Photo by Melissa Shirk]

And over in East Prospect, winds blew over a stockade fence and almost took away a backyard trampoline.

 Here's an example of one of the many wind-related calls today on the Lancaster County-Wide Communications website.

The weather forecast for Tuesday looks a little more promising.