Ten years after the Northumberland County Jail fire, Warden Bruce Kovach recalls the chaos and recovery efforts that followed the disaster.
Sunbury: It was a chilly January day in 2015 when Bruce Kovach, just eight days into his role as warden, faced a nightmare. At 2:16 p.m., a fire broke out at the Northumberland County Prison, changing everything for the 208 inmates inside.
First responders rushed to the scene after the 911 call came in. Flames shot up from the prison, and chaos ensued. Kovach and Cmdr. Brian Wheary stood outside, trying to grasp the situation.
Kovach remembers the panic. He heard the smoke alarms and rushed downstairs, where he saw flames. They quickly evacuated everyone to a nearby church basement, where the inmates waited for news.
Help came fast from SCI Coal Township, who sent an emergency unit. Female inmates were moved to SCI Muncy within an hour, and by nightfall, the male inmates were transferred to SCI Coal Township.
Then-Commissioner Vinny Clausi knew the fire was serious. He focused on safety first, not realizing the extent of the damage until later. Emergency responders worked tirelessly for nearly 24 hours to control the blaze.
After the fire, Kovach faced uncertainty. They had to figure out where to house the inmates long-term. Thankfully, operations ran smoothly for two years until the new jail opened in Coal Township in 2018.
But then COVID-19 hit in 2020, complicating things again. Kovach noted that staffing became a challenge, but everyone did their best to adapt.
Now, a decade later, Kovach reflects on those early days. The jail was sold to Mark Walberg in 2017, who has been busy renovating the building. He’s aiming to turn it into a multi-use venue, possibly including a food court and a museum.
