PITTSBURGH — Smoke is billowing from a church in Pittsburgh’s Mt. Washington neighborhood.
Click here for photos from the scene.
Allegheny County dispatchers said they received a call from the intersection of Kearsarge Street and Fetzer Street at 6:05 p.m. on Tuesday.
The fire is happening at the former Grandview United Presbyterian Church on the 300 block of Grandview Avenue.
Channel 11 has a crew at the scene and is actively working to learn more. Tune in to Channel 11 News at 11 p.m. for the latest developments on this breaking story.
Dispatchers said a three-alarm response has been called to the scene.
A Channel 11 photographer arrived at the scene at around 6:30 p.m. Shortly after, flames began to burn through the roof and out of the church’s windows.
At 6:53 p.m., a spokesperson from Pittsburgh Public Safety shared information confirming that no one is injured at this time.
At 8:18 p.m., Pittsburgh Police said a person had been arrested at the scene. A public information officer said that the man was Colton Normand. Police said he was initially arrested on an unrelated warrant.
At this time, he is charged with obstructing emergency services, obstructing administration of law or other governmental function, and false identification to law enforcement. Other charges could be filed as the investigation continues.
Just last month, Channel 11’s Rachel Pierce learned that a developer had proposed building a nine-story residential building, which would have required the church’s demolition.
At that time, City Councilwoman Kim Salinetro told Channel 11 that she believed the church was “near ready to collapse.”
Channel 11’s tower camera captured the thick smoke filling the Mt. Washington skyline.
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Fans at PNC Park who were attending the Pirates game could also see smoke over the Pittsburgh skyline.
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