LAWRENCE COUNTY, Pa. — Firefighters battled a massive blaze at an Amish workshop in Lawrence County early Friday morning.
Officials said the fire began at about 4 a.m. on Fayette-Neshannock Falls Road in New Wilmington.
The fire destroyed the building, which was used to build and sell wooden furniture.
“They brought logs in here and sawed them into lumber that was then rough-cut lumber and then taken to a kiln,” friend of the family Tom McGregor said.
Firefighters said it took about two hours to get the fire under control.
"It was fully involved at the time. It was already caved in," said New Wilmington Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Todd Wilson.
Hours after the blaze was out, several members of the Amish community arrived to clear the debris and begin rebuilding the structure.
"Probably within six hours they'll come out, pull everything away that burnt and in a couple of days have a new structure up," Wilson said. "They'll work together. 40 to 50 Amish arrived in a short period of time. They really work together."
Despite the blaze, McGregor said because of the family’s religious beliefs, they are in good spirits.
“They accept it as God’s way, I guess you could say,” McGregor said. “They are not going to get upset about it or demand a police investigation or anything.”
The state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
No injuries were reported.