Woman hospitalized after fire at Butler County used bookstore
An early morning fire in Butler County left one woman hospitalized with severe burns and brought the final chapter to one of the area's last remaining used bookstores.
What remains of Readers' Paradise in Butler may look structurally intact, but the intense smoke odor, water damage and soot have left the inside completely unsalvageable.
Once filled with the comforting scent of old books and undiscovered stories, the shop's final chapter ended in flames.
For nearly three decades, Rochella Herold and her mother, who originally launched the business, ran the bookstore more as a passion project than a job.
"Thousands and thousands of books," said Rochella Herold. "And a lot of very disappointed and heartbroken customers."
According to Oneida Valley Volunteer Fire Chief Gary Wulff, the fire originated in the apartment above the bookstore. A neighbor spotted the flames and quickly called 911. He and another person were able to pull the elderly woman living there to safety from the back porch, just moments before her oxygen tanks exploded.
She is now in the hospital with serious burns to her head and face.
"She lived here when we moved the store here," said Herold. "So she's been here a long time. So I'm sure a lot of memories for her. But it wasn't meant to be."
In a heartbreaking twist, Herold said they had just installed new fire safety measures.
"Two months ago, I bought new fire extinguishers, new fire smoke alarms and CO2 detectors," said Herold. "And I have no idea if they helped her or not. Hopefully."
Readers' Paradise wasn't just a bookstore; it was a community space where visitors could read, donate and start new chapters, with some books priced as low as 60 cents. Herold said business had been picking up, and there were no plans to shut down.
"I feel bad for my customers because I've already had multiple calls. 'Please tell me it didn't burn,'" she said. "I said, 'it's gone.'"
Despite the heartbreak, Herold says she won't risk trying to resell any of the damaged books due to health concerns and the extent of the loss.
Fire officials say the cause of the blaze remains undetermined due to the severity of the burn in the upstairs apartment.
