Fire damages Howland business, ties up Route 46 traffic

A man carries a board to seal up a hole in Ladybugs Unlimited, 379 Niles-Cortland Road S.E. (state Route 46) in Howland, which was heavily damaged by fire Thursday afternoon. Howland Fire Chief George Brown said the cause of the fire, which was reported at 4:57 p.m., is under investigation. No injuries were reported. Brown said a passerby stopped at the business and told the owner that the roof was on fire. Brown said that when crews arrived, flames were coming out of the roof. Traffic was backed up on Route 46. Assisting Howland were firefighting units from Bazetta, Vienna, Weathersfield and Brookfield townships and the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.