Fire damages vehicles, garage in Howland

Staff report

HOWLAND

Fire damaged a detached garage on Shaffer Drive and several older vehicles, a small single-engine aircraft, and a collection of firearms and other collectibles inside.

When Howland firefighters arrived on the scene about 4:45 p.m. Thursday they found heavy smoke and flames coming from the garage located behind several single-resident dwellings. The address and the name of the owner were not provided by the fire department report.

Also when they arrived, firefighters were made aware of possible dangerous explosives and military ordnance in the garage.

The Youngstown Bomb Squad and officials from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and State Fire Marshal’s Office were called and spent several hours evaluating items in the garage to determine if they posed a danger to residents.

At the recommendation of the bomb squad, the area was not evacuated. Crews returned to the garage Friday morning to continue the investigation, Howland Fire Chief James Pantalone said.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation, and a damage assessment had not been completed as of press time Friday evening.