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Four Hurt as Fire Guts Grandview Home
By Jason Togyer
The Tube City Almanac
November 30, 2017
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News
Editor's Note: This story will be updated with additional details, when available. Corrected at 5 p.m. Updated, 11 p.m. with comments from the Allegheny County Fire Marshal's Office.
Four people, including a McKeesport police officer, were hurt Thursday morning when fire swept through a house in the 2700 block of Grandview Avenue.
None of the injuries are believed to be serious, said McKeesport fire Chief Jeff Tomovcsik, but the house is "likely a total loss." The family that lives there --- two adults and two children --- is presently homeless, according to rescue workers.
Allegheny County Chief Fire Marshal Matt Brown said the cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Neighbors called 9-1-1 at 6:46 a.m. to report the blaze in a two-story wood frame house at the corner of Grandview and York streets.
When police and firefighters arrived, flames were coming from the first story and a woman and her 3-year-old daughter were trapped on the second floor at the rear of the house, Tomovcsik said.
McKeesport firefighter Rob Patterson joined McKeesport police Officer Floyd Gault at the back of the house with a 25-foot ladder and rescued the woman and the little girl from the porch roof.
"There was so much smoke they couldn't even see them at first," Tomovcsik said.
The girl's father jumped from the porch roof, Brown said. "He was completely covered with soot," Tomovcsik said.
All three occupants were taken to UPMC McKeesport hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, Tomovcsik said.
The victims' names were not immediately available.
The American Red Cross is helping the family, which also includes another child who was not at home, said Dan Tobin, spokesman for the Western Pennsylvania Chapter.
The male victim told rescuers he was awakened by the "intense heat" of the fire and the noise outside, Tomovscik said.
Brown said investigators found no smoke detectors in the house.
"This definitely could have been much worse," Tomovscik said. Allegheny County property records indicate the home is owned by a Castle Shannon woman.
A McKeesport police officer sustained a minor injury when he fell at the scene, Tomovcsik said.
In addition to McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Service, volunteer firefighters from White Oak No. 1, Glassport and Duquesne Annex departments also responded to the scene.
Dravosburg volunteer firefighters stood by at McKeesport's Downtown fire station and Lincoln Borough volunteers had a tanker on standby.
The blaze was under control in 20 to 25 minutes, Tomovcsik said.
Originally published November 30, 2017.
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