Westmoreland County laundry business destroyed by fire

WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — A fire in Westmoreland County Sunday night destroyed a laundry business in North Huntingdon.

Firefighters said the blaze began at the Joseph Krow laundry service on Parker Drive. At one point, firefighters said they had to evacuate the building because it started to collapse.

The owner said there were two companies in the building, the laundry service and Image First, a company that takes orders for Joseph Krow.

About 150 people worked in the building, the owner said. Several hospitals used the laundry service to clean sheets and scrubs.

"This is our livelihood, and we're going to miss it for a little bit," said employee Michelle Crooks. "I have employees I've worked with forever and we know each other. We have fun together. We socialize together."

"You never thought it would happen. You just never thought it would happen," said employee Patricia Cimba.

No injuries were reported. Investigators said the fire may have begun in a maintenance room, but they are still working to determine the exact cause.

The president and CEO of the company released a statement saying, "In the wake of the unfortunate events that transpired (Sunday) evening, the Joseph Krow Company is committed to providing uninterrupted service to our customers by partnering with local affiliates during the time which we rebuild."

WPXI