One Person Injured After Fire In East Liberty

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EAST LIBERTY (KDKA) -- One man was injured after a fire early Friday morning at his home in Pittsburgh's East Liberty neighborhood.

Firefighters were called to the 600 block of Collins Avenue around 2 a.m.

Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Chief Darryl Jones said the first crews to arrive on scene found heavy smoke in the home, and learned that a man who got out of the home had gone back inside.

"The gentleman noticed the fire, was alerted to the fire. He got his roommate out, and decided for some odd reason to go back in and was trapped," Chief Jones said. "I don't know why we went back in."

Chief Jones tells the "KDKA Morning News" it was a cold, uncomfortable night as crews fought the fire and searched for the man who went back inside the house.

"There was a lot of heavy smoke ... upon their arrival. Crews went in. They did a search, they found the gentleman in the basement ... he was transported to Mercy Hospital. Last I heard, he was in critical condition," said Jones.

The building was heavily damaged.

Pittsburgh Public Works crews responded to the scene, assisting firefighters by spreading salt on the road.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.