KLINGERSTOWN - Fourteen people were left homeless when flames tore through an apartment building above the United States Post Office on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire at 88 Main St. was reported just after 2 p.m. and brought firefighters from Schuylkill County and surrounding communities to the scene.
The apartments were destroyed and the post office sustained smoke and water damage, fire officials said.
Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal Trooper John F. Burns said he determined the cause of the fire to be accidental.
Burns said the fire was electrical in nature and started in a second floor apartment occupied by Jason and Jeanne Miller and their four children.
According to the American Red Cross, Schuylkill Chapter, five families were left homeless by the fire.
In addition to the Millers, who were identified by Burns, the Red Cross said those homeless were residents of four apartments.
Two of those apartments were occupied by one adult each, another by an adult and a child and the fourth by two adults.
Jennifer LoConte, regional communications officer with the Red Cross, said the Miller family was provided with food, clothing and lodging while the remaining tenants provided with food and clothing.
When contacted Wednesday, LoConte was unable to identify those left homeless, citing Red Cross policy of not identifying clients.
Klingerstown Fire Company Chief Robert Masser was unable to be reached Wednesday to provide details as to what fire companies were called to the scene to assist.
No estimate of damage was available.