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Fire Destroys Historic Beaver Falls Train Station

BEAVER FALLS (KDKA) – Fire destroyed a historic train station in Beaver Falls on Monday, leaving the community with nothing more than memories.

The smoke billowing from the old College Hill train station near 27th Street could be seen from across the Beaver River. Built in 1910, it was mostly used by Geneva College students and people who lived in the area around the school.

"This was a railroad station for P&LE Railroad," Beaver Falls Fire Chief Mark Stowe said. "When the passenger cars ran from Beaver Falls to Pittsburgh, this was the beginning of that route. In 1986, that was the last time the passenger trains ran, and it's been abandoned since that time."

There was a short-lived plan to restore it, but then the property was eventually sold to an area business. The building has caught fire before, but Monday's would be the last. The old train station is destroyed.

"Fire was well involved throughout the structure, 1st and 2nd floor," Stowe said. "It was starting to go through the roof."

The biggest problem Monday was access. There are no hydrants in the area, so firefighters had to use a relay pump to supply water, and the building itself was difficult to get to.

"Access due to it being overgrown and illegal dumping that's gone on the north end of the building made it difficult to access the building," Stowe said.

The city of Beaver Falls will now make the owner demolish the building and clean up the property.

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