Panther Valley fire and police personnel gathered at Ashton Park in Lansford on Thursday, one week after a fire in the borough sent five people to the hospital.

Lansford Police Chief Kyle Woodward said he wanted to personally thank all of the firefighters, police officers and emergency personnel who responded to the fire in the 200 block of East Ridge Street on Oct. 19.

American Fire Company No. 1 Assistant Chief Zachary Gilbert arrived within two minutes of the first dispatch, finding heavy smoke coming from the home and a man stuck on a porch roof.

Summit Hill Police Officer Kodie Pituch arrived seconds later, and with the help of neighbors, a construction ladder was used to get the resident off the roof.

Due to the close working relationship between neighboring police and fire departments, a homeowner was saved, Woodward said.

“If it wasn’t for the quick response from Officer Pituch and the fire departments, we may have had a very different outcome,” he said.

A Lansford police officer was on duty but unable to respond due to having a man in custody from a prior incident.

Lansford Fire Chief Joseph Greco also thanked everyone for the quick response, which kept the fire from spreading to rest of the row homes or adjacent properties.

Crews from Lansford American Fire Company No. 1 arrived within six minutes, followed shortly by crews from Diligence Fire Company No. 1 of Summit Hill and Coaldale Volunteer Fire Company No. 1.

Also responding were Nesquehoning Fire Company No. 1, Diligence Fire Company of Jim Thorpe, Tamaqua’s Rapid Intervention Team, Tuscarora Fire Company, Lehigh & Lausanne Fire Company Rehab Unit, Lehighton Ambulance Association medics and rehab unit, Tamaqua Ambulance Association, Lehigh Valley Health Network EMS/Medic 11 and Coaldale police.

Both Greco and Woodward expressed their appreciation for the outstanding working relationship the municipalities have.

“If we didn’t operate with mutual aid agreements and work together as one, we would never be able to get the job done,” Woodward said. “I hope that we can grow the relationship to be stronger than ever.”

All of the residents who were taken to the hospital as a result of the fire were released the following day, and no firefighters or police officers reported injuries.