Watch CBS News

2 Firefighters Injured While Battling Greensburg Apartment Fire

GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- Two firefighters were injured and a seven-unit apartment building on Sidney Street in Southwest Greensburg is a total loss.

Neighbors watched and listened in horror as they heard popping sounds come from the apartment building.

During the fight, one firefighter fell through the floor of the front porch. The assistant fire chief with the city of Greensburg collapsed, suffering from heat exhaustion. Both were taken to the hospital and are expected to be okay.

Christine D'Antonio's Report:

"It exploded a couple more times, like many explosions, more like small booms," neighbor Deanna Thompson said. "I ran down and started pounding on doors and telling people it's on fire, you have to get out. Get the babies out and get the gentleman up in the far right hand corner out because he's a little bit disabled," neighbor Joyce Hobaugh said.

Hobaugh said the gentleman ran back inside to grab some clothes and his cat, even though she told him not to.

"Another gentleman at the bottom of the street came down and heard me talking to him so he went up got him out of the house threw a cat over the porch and that was pretty much it," Hobaugh said.

Paul Krushinski likely lost everything in the fire.

"I has some pictures, only personal thing I had. I wanted to keep those, but I don't even know if they're up there. I'll have to find out tonight or tomorrow," Krushinski said.

Neighbors say around 18 people lived inside, but fortunately no one got hurt.

The Red Cross is providing housing for everyone who lived here. The state police fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.