As firefighters worked to stop a ceiling fire in a Stoneboro apartment, another group of firefighters was on hand to watch out for the well-being of their colleagues.

Volunteers from Stoneboro, Sandy Lake, Jackson Center, Mercer East Bend and Pine Township responded to a fire in a second-floor apartment at 2666 Lake St. just after 2 p.m. Monday.

Stoneboro Fire Chief Rick Reither said the fire started in a ceiling fan. There was minimal fire damage to a bathroom and smoke damage throughout the apartment, Reither said. He said the worst part was pulling apart the ceiling to locate the flames.

The resident was not home at the time, Reither said.

Grove City volunteer firefighters also went to the fire scene to act as a Rapid Intervention Team, Reither said. Fire departments from the eastern part of Mercer County have formed the team to take care of the firefighters who are battling blazes, he said.

One department is always on hand "just in case something goes wrong" and the firefighters need attention, Reither said.

"We take care of everybody else. It's foolish not to have someone to take care of us," Reither said.

In addition to Stoneboro and Grove City firefighters, the members of Sandy Lake, Jackson Center, Mercer East End, Pine and Springfield townships fire department and Grove City Rescue Squad are all part of the Rapid Intervention Team, Reither said.

Reither said the firefighters have been training and working together quite a bit, and there was a good response to Monday's blaze.

The American Red Cross and Lakeview Helping Hands Center were being contacted to help the resident of the apartment, Reither said.

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