Fire, Explosion Injures 4 Firefighters In Greenfield

PITTSBURGH,None — Four firefighters were hurt early Thursday morning while battling a blaze in Pittsburgh's Greenfield neighborhood.

The fire was reported at an apartment at about 1:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Greenfield Avenue.

The deputy chief said the fire started on the third floor of the building. When the firefighters went to check it out, there was a backdraft, which is what injured the men.

"The heat just started, you know, getting worse and worse and worse. The conditions, you could just feel were getting really bad," said Pittsburgh Fire Lt. Duke Mulvihill.

The injured firefighters were taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital, where they were treated for facial, neck and hand burns. All are expected to be OK.

Deputy Fire Chief Frank Large said the backdraft explosion was so powerful it blew part of the shingles and roof off.

"The whole third floor just blew up and flashed. We actually dove down the steps. One on top of another," Mulvihill said.

Everyone in the house got out safely, crews said, and the fire was brought under control in about 45 minutes.

"Apparently the fire was in some concealed space. It looks as though it was probably oxygen starved. When it was able to get oxygen, that's when this small backdraft or smoke explosion occurred," Large said.

The damage to the building is expected to top $100,000. Large said the third floor is destroyed and the other floors suffered severe water damage.

The Red Cross is assisting the families who lived in the building. None of them were hurt.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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