4-Alarm Fire In Strip District Destroys Building That Houses Yinzers In The Burgh
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Fire crews battled a four-alarm fire in the Strip District that destroyed a building.
Wednesday's fire was in the 1700 block of Penn Avenue in the building above the Yinzers In The Burgh store.
Pittsburghers will remember this building as the long-time home of Mike Feinberg Company, a party supply store.
Yinzers purchased it a couple of years ago and is considered a must-stop in the Strip District.
Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Chief Daryl Jones said the blaze started on the third floor of the red-brick building and jumped next door.
Seventy firefighters were on the scene with multiple ladder trucks, attacking the fire and roof.
There is heavy damage to Yinzers and the fire chief said the blaze was under control at approximately 9:20 p.m.
Jimmy Coen, the owner of Yinzers, says he raced to the building when he got the call and his heart broke seeing the fire.
The owners of other Penn Avenue stores consoled him when he arrived. Coen said that merchandise stored in the building's basement was saved thanks to the firefighters' work.
"They told me they would be right behind me," Coen said. "They calmed me down. Seeing the flames, there is no feeling like that."
One firefighter suffered a shoulder injury and was transported to a local hospital, Public Safety said.
No other injuries or entrapment were reported.
"The last 24 hours for the first responders here in the city have been very taxing, especially having to worry about the virus and wearing masks and social distancing," Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich said. "So I think it's important that the public knows that the first responders, the police officers and EMS are still out there."
The call came in around 8:07 p.m. on Wednesday.
The fire chief said a quick response saved other buildings on the street from the fire.
The Fire Investigation Unit is investigating the cause of the blaze.
It was the second consecutive night a large fire broke out in the city.
