By TOM KANE

NARROWSBURG - Last Saturday morning, Jackie Adams had an earache and needed to see a doctor before she went to camp. Her father Dennis took her to the Highland Physicians Medical Center in Narrowsburg.

Dennis, a fireman with the Welcome Lake Fire Department, smelled something bad. He went down to the basement and discovered smoke up to his knees.

He closed all the doors to contain the fire and ran for help, soon bringing a phalanx of firefighters from many companies.

The fire, discovered at 9:30 a.m., is currently under investigation by the county and George Dickover of St. Paul's Property Claims insurance company. The fire appeared accidental, according to Narrowsburg Fire Chief Craig Burkle.

It took about an hour and a half to quell the flames, according to Burkle. "We had to bust out the roof so there is some damage up there, too."

The basement offices were totally destroyed but the upstairs offices suffered only heavy smoke damage. "We were able to cover any records and files there with a tarp so they were not damaged," Burkle said.

Prior to the blaze the center housed the offices of Honesdale's Dr. Jon Sternburg and Galilee therapist Roger Brinkerhoff. Brinckerhoff, who has an MSW, is not a part of Highlands Physicians but rents space from the group.

The medical center was originally built to draw a general practitioner to the community. In 1963, physician Dr. John Stirna fulfilled that role, practicing medicine there until he retired.

	TRR photo by Jill Padua Welcome Lake firefighter Dennis Adams, who discovered the blaze, with his daughter Jackie outside the burning medical center. (Click for larger image)

"Currently, I am the only physician permanently at the center although a number of my partners have rotated here until we get a permanent physician on staff," Sternburg said. Debbie Conklin, a physician's assistant, is also part of the group. Sternburg expects a full-time doctor of osteopathy to join the group in August.

Until reconstruction of the center is complete, "We will put a trailer up on the property as soon as we can as a temporary site," Sternburg said.

Brinkerhoff, whose office has been at the medical center for the past eight years, moved his practice temporarily to St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Narrowsburg.

In addition to Narrowsburg, responding to the fire were companies from Lava, Lake Huntington, Welcome Lake and Beach Lake with Yulan and Kenoza Lake standing by, Burkle said.

Highland Physicians has additional offices in Waymart, Honesdale, Tafton and Pleasant Mount, all in PA. The group has no other Sullivan County offices.