Firefighters Battle Fire And Ice After McKeesport Home Goes Up In Flames
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – McKeesport firefighters battled sub-freezing temperatures, along with flames and thick smoke pouring from the roof of a home Sunday morning.
It started sometime around 9 a.m. in the 1400-block of Meadow Street.
Owner Pam McDonough says the fire was sparked by her gas stove.
"I tried to turn the gas stove on, to see if I had gas and I have igniters, I heard a click and I flicked it off, a spark came from one of the igniters, hit the instant coffee package and started flames from there," she said.
While firefighters attacked the fire using ladder trucks, extreme cold temperatures caused the water to freeze, creating dangerous patches of ice around the scene.
"It was a little more challenging, public works was on the scene to help us with that, the city," said Fire Capt. James Shields. "We called for extra manpower to assist, due to the cold."
McKeesport Fire Chief Kevin Lust got involved spreading salt around the house to prevent his men from slipping on the ice.
But he was injured after taking a hard fall on the ice and was taken away by paramedics.
Meanwhile, the fire left a huge hole in the roof, severely damaging the structure, the devastation is the latest misfortune for McDonough. She lost her job recently and has no insurance.
"This was just a couple of weeks ago, so this is just the icing on the cake right now," she said. "I was crying a lot earlier and it's like, I can't do much about it."
No word on his condition or what may have started the fire.
Stay with KDKA for more information.
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