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Fast-Moving Fire Damages 2 Homes In Glassport

GLASSPORT (KDKA) -- The Allegheny County Fire Marshal is investigating after flames caused significant damage to two homes in Glassport Thursday evening.

The fire was first reported around 7 p.m. in the 800-block of Hemlock Alley.

Seven fire departments responded to the two-alarm fire that spread to a neighboring home.

Officials say the fire started in a vacant two-story home that was being renovated, and then jumped to an occupied adjacent home.

"It came in as a residential structure fire. When fire crews arrived, we had a heavy basement fire and the first floor was well involved," said Glassport Fire Department Chief Wayne Lewis. "From the type of construction… it got into the walls and it just ran the walls all the way to the attic area."

Homes in the neighborhood are inches apart and firefighters worked to keep the fire from doing any additional damage.

A woman driving through the neighborhood was the first to spot the fire and dial 911.

"We were headed through Glassport, and we noticed and smelled smoke, so we turned around and we pulled into the alley, and we noticed that the duplex here was on… smoke was rolling out," said Sunny Curtis, the passerby. "My fiancée tried kicking in the door, knocking… to see if anybody was in it because we weren't sure. By the time the fire department got here, flames were shooting out the side and the neighbor's house here was on fire as well."

The fire chief says the blaze caused moderate damage to the second home and heavy damage to the home were the fire started because "of the confines of the alley and the closeness of the houses."

No injuries were reported.

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