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Fire Damages First Step Recovery Homes
By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
March 30, 2023
Posted in: Announcements
A fire Wednesday night damaged a Penny Street apartment house owned by a city non-profit agency.
Just before 8 p.m., multiple callers to Allegheny County emergency dispatchers reported that the rear of a two-story building in the 300 block of Penny Street owned by First Step Recovery Homes Inc.
When the first crews arrived, fire was visible on the back wall of the building and was spreading up toward the roof, McKeesport fire Chief Jeff Tomovcsik said.
A second alarm was sounded and additional firefighters responded from Allegheny County Airport, Duquesne Annex, Glassport Citizens Hose Co., Liberty Borough, Port Vue Vigilant Hose Co. and White Oak No. 1.
The fire was under control in approximately 36 minutes, Tomovcsik said, although firefighters remained on the scene until after 10:30 p.m., along with investigators from the Allegheny County fire marshal’s office.
One city firefighter sustained a minor injury but was treated at a local hospital and released, Tomovcsik said.
The structure sustained extensive fire damage on the School Alley side and the roof, he said. Three residents were displaced, Tomovcsik said.
McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Service and the Salvation Army assisted at the scene. Rainbow and Dravosburg firefighters were held on stand-by.
First Step Recovery Homes provides supervised, temporary housing for people recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. A call to First Step’s office by Tube City Almanac seeking comment was not immediately returned.
Although the cause and exact origin of the blaze remain under investigation, Tomovcsik said the fire is not believed to be suspicious in nature.
Originally published March 30, 2023.
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