4 days ago
Fire at New Kensington home being investigated as suspicious
Investigators are looking into a weekend fire in Westmoreland County to find out if someone started it on purpose.
The massive fire that sent flames shooting through the windows and roof of a three-story home on Sixth Avenue in New Kensington is under investigation. Crews were called to the scene around 1 a.m. on Saturday.
"The New Kensington police have said that it looks suspicious in nature," New Kensington Fire Department Chief Ed Saliba said.
Saliba and the Westermoreland County District Attorney's Office confirmed the New Kensington Police Department and Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal are investigating the fire as suspicious.
While investigators look for answers, a handful of people have lost their homes. Chief Saliba said there were at least three apartments inside the structure. Everyone made it out OK, and firefighters saved a dog's life. The chief added that the fire started in the back of the house.
"There were no injuries, firefighter-wise or civilian-wise, thank goodness," Saliba said.
More than 50 volunteer firefighters from multiple departments were on scene for hours, and there were moments when it became extremely dangerous for firefighters.
"About 45 minutes to an hour to bring the fire under control. Two different times, the firefighters had to egress out of the structure in fear of the roof possibly collapsing. Once things were deemed safe, they were allowed to reenter. Then an aggressive interior attack put the fire out. Firefighters remained on scene for about two-and-a-half hours doing heavy salvaging overhaul," he said.
Chief Saliba said it was a tough blaze to battle, as the homes in the Parnassus section of the city are well over 100 years old.
"The house was a wood frame structure, balloon frame, with insulbrick siding. On top of the insulbrick was vinyl siding. A lot of the old-time firefighters call insulbrick gasoline siding because there's tar involved. Once that takes off, look out," Saliba said.
