ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Six people, including a baby, were inside a Westmoreland County auction house when flames broke out and eventually destroyed the building.
Gilmore Auction Galleries on Martin Road was preparing for an event that they hold every Thursday and Saturday when the fire started.
WOW - these pictures show how large of a fire this was at the auction house. The owner tells me there were 6 people inside when the fire started, including a baby. @WPXI pic.twitter.com/hr3Avi46hR
— Gabriella DeLuca (@GabriellaDeLuca) August 31, 2018
One of the owners told Channel 11 they've been in business for more than 100 years.
It wasn't immediately clear what caused the blaze that took hours to knock down and demolished the building.
WATCH: the impact of the wall coming down at Gilmore Gallery is so intense that it sends a firefighter to the ground @WPXI thankful for all of these men & women who are working in these hot & humid conditions pic.twitter.com/aGse4UnFg0
— Gabriella DeLuca (@GabriellaDeLuca) August 30, 2018
"Devastated," said John Morgan, who went to auctions weekly with his wife, Jackie. "We have been coming here faithfully for 50 years, rain or shine."
Everyone inside the building when the flames broke out were members of the family that owned the business.
"They’re hanging in there, but it’s going to take a while. I think they’re in shock," Morgan said.
"If that auction would have happened from 7 on tonight, it would have been devastating. That’s how many people go there."
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