Local

Residents, business owners lose everything in Vandergrift blaze

VANDERGRIFT, Pa. — A massive fire in downtown Vandergrift that crews battled for about 12 hours Thursday, putting out hot spots well into the early morning hours Friday, has been ruled accidental.

https://twitter.com/WPXIJoeHolden/status/594169683135303680

The fire was reported shortly after noon Thursday in an apartment above Ernie’s Sub shop and spread to four other apartments. Three of those apartments were occupied.

  • CLICK HERE to watch Chopper 11 video from the scene.

FREE APPS | NOW | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

Residents said the fire moved quickly, burning everything in about five minutes. Before running to safety, neighbors rushed to save each other.

Donald Auclair, whose home and workplace were destroyed, pounded on a neighbor's door.

"They were sleeping, so it took me a little bit to wake them up," said Auclair.

Building tenants said everything in their apartments burned, and all they could do was watch as crews worked to save the building.

"All my money in there, I was just paid on Wednesday. It was sitting in there. I lost it all," said Donald Auclair, whose home and workplace were destroyed.

Amy Stoughton is expecting. Despite the devastating fire, she said she, Auclair and their 2-year-old daughter are blessed and thankful to be alive.

"Thank God we're alive and we're all together. Everything else is replaceable," said Stoughton.

Some people have stepped in to help the families recover from all the losses suffered as a result of the fire.

"It's absolutely amazing what people do," said Amy Stebbins. "So thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart."

According to Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE, 12 residents lost their home to the fire, including five children. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling the flames.

When Chopper 11 flew over the scene on Washington Avenue, it showed an active scene with heavy smoke.

"I looked out my kitchen window and I could see smoke billowing over the hillsides," said Stoughton.

Bystanders said the fire remained persistent as crews fought to contain it.

"Once the firefighters got it under control, it seemed to flare right back up on them," said Tiffany Yokum, who lives nearby.

Vandergrift Assistant Fire Chief Mark Fairman said the situation could have been much worse if crews weren't able to contain the blaze to one structure.

"I sent two crews up there and they got a good knock down, and the fire never went from this building at all. So we saved that building, and the building on the other side," he said. "We must have had 22 companies here, over 100 firemen."

WPXI

0

Most Read