Fire damages Westmoreland County apartment building; 10 people displaced

DELMONT, Pa. — Nearly a dozen people are displaced after an apartment building fire Friday afternoon in Westmoreland County.

The fire was reported around 3:15 p.m. at a building on Greensburg Street in Delmont.

RAW: Crews battle fire in Westmoreland County apartment building

Officials said there were no reported injuries, but 10 people are displaced from the five units.

The fire was found in a back bedroom of a first-floor apartment, and the cause remains under investigation. The flames were knocked down within minutes, but crews said there was smoke throughout the entire building and the utilities were shut off.

Ben Gentile told Channel 11 he thinks a space heater that had been left on in his roommate’s bedroom sparked the fire.

"Our apartment does get cold. Heat doesn't circulate well. We leave heaters on from time to time," Gentile said.

Gentile said he smelled smoke.

"(I) opened my roommate's door and filled with smoke. It was just nothing we could do after that. The whole apartment was blacked out," he said.

Despite the damage done to his apartment, Gentile said he feels a sense of gratitude that crews were able to work quickly and no one was injured.

"Just got to pick up and start over again, ya know? Life beats us down, but you got to get up, and try to do the best we can," Gentile said.

The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross are assisting residents

Cox Media Group