6 Displaced By North Side Fire
NORTH SIDE (KDKA) – At least five people have been displaced as a result of a fire on the North Side Wednesday afternoon.
According to officials at the scene, the fire broke out at a duplex in the 2800-block of Perrysville Avenue shortly after noon.
Smoke and flames were spotted pouring out of the third floor of the brick building.
Firefighters say there were reports of people screaming, so they began searching the building as soon as they arrived on the scene. But there were some complications.
"As our guys were searching apartments and trying to find fire, it was kind of like being in a little bit of a maze," said Deputy Chief Frank Large, of the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau.
The building was previously a duplex.
"Over the years, it's been remodeled into more than just a duplex," said Deputy Chief Large. "There are five or six apartments in this duplex now and it's all sort of cut up."
Neighbors watched as the fire grew to two alarms.
"We discovered there was no access to the third floor except through the rear, took us a little while to figure out," Deputy Chief Large said.
No one was found inside the building. And while there were no injuries, the Port Authority did bring in a bus to keep firefighters cool.
"The heat and humidity made for a difficult effort for our guys. We are making sure they are rehabbed and hydrated," Deputy Chief Large said.
The fire was contained to the third floor, but there was still a lot of smoke and water damage to the rest of the building.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Red Cross is now helping six people who won't be able to stay overnight in their apartments.
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