On Monday, March 9, 2026, at approximately 7:00 AM, the Jenkintown Fire Department and Jenkintown Police Department responded to a fire alarm activation at 603 West Ave and 605 West Ave. Fire and smoke were found coming from a second-floor apartment at 603 West Ave. Occupants of the neighboring building at 605 West Ave had contacted Montgomery County Dispatch to report the fire.

Jenkintown Fire Department, with assistance from Abington Fire Company, Edge Hill Fire Company, McKinley Fire Company, Rockledge Fire Company, and Weldon Fire Company, quickly extinguished the fire. One cat was rescued and resuscitated at the scene by Second Alarmers Rescue Squad personnel and transported to a local veterinarian by its owner. Sadly, one cat perished in the fire. No human injuries have been reported.

There was extensive damage to the affected apartment at 603 West Ave, as well as smoke and water damage to the apartments at 605 West Ave and the first-floor businesses at both addresses. The Red Cross has responded and is assisting displaced residents with lodging and recovery.

The fire remains under investigation by the Jenkintown Fire Marshal, assisted by the Abington, Cheltenham, and Lower Moreland Fire Marshals.

opens in a new windowClick here to read the full press release from the Jenkintown Police Department (PDF).

Questions or concerns may be directed to the Jenkintown Fire Marshal or the Jenkintown Police Department at (215) 884-1202. If you have an emergency, dial 911.

Jenkintown Borough has published a comprehensive guide outlining the responsibilities of both the Borough and its residents during snow emergencies.

When the Mayor declares a snow emergency, Borough Public Works salts and plows all public cartways and streets, clears downed trees from roadways, and treats Borough-owned sidewalks within 24 hours after the end of a snow event. The Jenkintown Police Department is authorized to enforce compliance, including issuing citations for uncleared sidewalks and towing vehicles from designated snow emergency routes.

Residents are reminded of the following responsibilities:

• Sidewalks: All property owners, tenants, and occupants must clear a path at least 3 feet wide on all adjacent sidewalks within 24 hours after snow stops falling.
• Parking: Residents with driveways should use them. Parking is prohibited on designated Snow Emergency Routes until the street is cleared. Violators are subject to towing and fines.
• Emergency Parking: Free parking is available at the Leedom Street municipal lot (between Pioneer Fire Co. and the VFW) for residents who need to move vehicles from emergency routes.
• No Snow Dumping: It is illegal to shovel, plow, or push snow from private property into any public street or right-of-way.
• Fire Hydrants: Please clear a 3-foot radius around any hydrants on or near your property.
• Corner Ramps: Adjacent property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalk ramps, similar to standard sidewalks.

opens in a new windowClick here to read the full Snow Emergency Information & Responsibilities document (PDF).

Emergencies: Dial 911. Sign up for alerts with ReadyMontco. For PECO outages, call 1-800-841-4141 or visit peco.com. For Borough updates, visit jenkintownboro.com or follow us on Facebook.

Mayor Lerman has declared a snow emergency in Jenkintown Borough 

opens in a new window[read the official notice here]opens IMAGE file

Residents with access to a driveway are asked to please park in it. If you do not have access to a driveway please park as close to the curb as possible. If you reside on a snow emergency route and need a place to park your vehicle, the Borough has made the municipal ‘Leedom Street parking lot’ (between Pioneer Fire Company and the VFW) available for residents on snow emergency routes during the snow emergency declaration to allow for the safe passage of the Borough plow trucks and emergency vehciles.

The current forecast is for a significant snow accumulation. The low temperatures and anticipated heavy winds are expected to make for treacherous driving conditions throughout this winter storm. If you must travel please take along the recommended safety gear and allow extra time to navigate the expected icy roads. The Jenkintown Police Department and Public Works Department will be staffed throughout the entire storm and are prepared to respond accordingly.

• Borough Hall: Admin Staff will be working remotely during this emergency. Borough Hall will be closed Monday February 23rd and will re-open for business at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, February 24th.
• Public Works: The Jenkintown Borough Public Works Department began preparing the storm response equipment on Friday. The crew will return to work through the duration of the storm salting and plowing when needed in order to keep the roads clear for emergency vehicles and safe passage of the general public as needed.
• PECO: Customers experiencing any gas or electrical issues should contact PECO at 1-800-841-4141opens phone dialer, peco.com or PECO Smart Mobile On-the-Go, the company’s mobile enhanced website.

If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact Borough Hall at 215-885-0700. Borough Hall phones will forward messages will be routed to the appropriate department-person and returned. You can also reach the Borough by emailing the Borough Manager at glocke@jenkintownboro.comcreate new email. 

* If your call pertains to this snow emergency * Please leave a name and phone number or email address with your message if you would like a return call.

Stay Safe and Be Well
If you have an Emergency call 911.

The Borough has received notification that the discount option period “Pay Entire Year before 1/31/26” was inadvertently omitted from the 2026 Solid Waste Collection invoices. The Borough is working with their electronic invoicing processor to resolve this issue, and revised invoices will be reprinted and mailed out.

Holiday trees placed curbside will be picked up with yard waste collection each Tuesday in January. This year that falls on January 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th.

The trees are picked up by the Borough Public Works Department and delivered to Abington Township where they are ground into mulch with other yard waste, which is then made available to Borough and Township residents free of cost.

Please be sure to remove all lights, ornaments and tinsel before placing the tree curbside so that the process of turning the trees into usable mulch will not be negatively affected.