Pitcairn Blaze Tears Through Abandoned Apartment Complex

Fire destroyed an abandoned four-story apartment building in Pitcairn Tuesday morning before spreading to another building nearby.

The blaze began shortly before 2 a.m. in the 400 block of Broadway Boulevard. It took firefighters more than three hours to get the flames under control.

No major injuries were reported, but one person was treated for smoke inhalation.

Fire Chief Chris Fouser was the first to arrive, and he knew what he was in store for.

"Once I got out of my vehicle, there was a lot of fire coming from the back of the building," said Fouser.

Crews said the blaze quickly traveled through the three-story abandoned building, collapsing part of the roof.

"It quickly spread to building two," said Fouser.

Crews then turned their efforts to battle the second building as well, fighting the flames for nearly five hours.

Firefighters think the blaze started in the second-floor of the vacant building.

The neighboring Nationwide Insurance office was damaged by water, and a pharmacy across the alley was damaged by smoke.

"Fire marshal was called, because it is a vacant building, and there was a large volume of fire upon arrival," said Fouser.

The fire marshal is investigating.

Authorities said this wasn't the first time firefighters were called to the street.

"We were here a few years ago for this," Fouser said.

Neighbor Patrick Andrews said there was a fire in the structure before, but it was never torn down.