Crews contain fire at Exeter Township strip mall; fitness and pet businesses evacuated [Updated]

A pet store and fitness center in the Reading Mall strip shopping center on Perkiomen Avenue in Exeter Township were evacuated after the roof was discovered on fire Tuesday afternoon.

Multiple callers about 2:50 p.m. reported flames on the roof of Exeter Fitness and Training, 4270 Perkiomen Ave.

Perfect Match Pet Shop and Rescue was also evacuated. According to a Facebook post by Perfect Match Pet Shop and Cuddles Adoptables, which is headquartered within the business, the store sustained significant water and smoke damage. Multiple cat rescue organizations as well as the Animal Rescue League of Berks County are housing the animals temporarily until repairs and cleanup are completed.

“Due to an HVAC fire on the roof of our building today, we will be closed for an undetermined time,” the post stated. “Rest assured that all animals that needed to be relocated have been thanks to various fosters, other rescues and the Animal Rescue League. We will update when we will be reopening.”

No animals or people were injured, according to Exeter Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Brian Rhein.

Crews responded within minutes and reported smoke showing from the roof of the single-story building that houses both businesses.

Exeter Fire Department was assisted by Reading Fire Department and the Birdsboro-Union, Mount Penn, Mohnton, Monarch and Gibraltar fire companies.

Firefighters opened up the roof and ran lines through the fitness center and the pet store, and a fan was used to disperse the smoke, Rhein said

Flames engulfed a heating and air conditioning unit on top of the pet store and extended into the roofs of the pet shop and the fitness center, Rhein said.

Crews contained the fire before it breached the interior of either building, but both businesses sustained water damage, Rhein said. Personnel remained on the scene for more than 1 1/2 hours.

He said the cause of the fire is still to be determined, but the bulk of the blaze was surrounding the HVAC unit.

Rhein noted the pet store was able to evacuate caged animals, with fish and other harder to transport animals being evacuated later.

“It (the pet store) is not going to have electric for a short time,” Rhein said.

According to the fitness center’s Facebook page, Exeter Fitness and Training was scheduled to reopen today at 3 p.m.

A damage estimate was unavailable.