Fire Erupts At Fayette Co. Apartment Building, 3 Firefighters Hospitalized
REPUBLIC (KDKA) -- A fire broke out in a large apartment building in Fayette County on Thursday and when the smoke cleared, six firefighters were hurt and more than a dozen people were left without a place to stay.
None of the people who lived in the apartment building were injured. There are 10 units in the building. The Red Cross is assisting those who were displaced.
Firefighters from 20 departments helped fight the flames at the apartment building in the 1000-block of Main Street in Republic. It started just before 7 p.m. Thursday.
"We were greeted with heavy smoke – green, thick yellow smoke – coming out of the bottom floor," Republic Volunteer Fire Department chief John Duke said. "People were already in the process of being taken out of the building by bystanders. We confirmed that everyone was out."
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Dennis Holz has lived in the four-story building for nearly 10 years. He says there wasn't much time to gather any of his belongings when he was told he had to leave. He's now staying with his brother.
"It caught fire. There was smoke throughout the whole building," Holz said. "The manager came and told us to get out."
Six firefighters were injured while working to put out the fire. Three were treated on the scene for heat exhaustion. Three more were taken to a local hospital.
"The men did an exceptional job in the heat," Duke said. "Six firemen were injured. Three were transported to the hospital. Not expected to be anything serious. Two were heat related, and one was smoke related."
The fire also damaged the building next door. The Redstone Township Sewer Authority and Tax Collector's Office has smoke and water damage and couldn't open for business Friday.
There is no word on a cause.
