Arson suspected in fire that destroyed vacant house in Charleroi
Ed Riedmann
Arson is suspected in an early morning fire Tuesday that destroyed a vacant house in Charleroi.
Firefighters from multiple departments were dispatched to 1025 Oakland Ave. in the borough shortly after 3 a.m. and found the two-story structure engulfed in flames with fire shooting from the roof, Charleroi fire Chief Robert Whiten Jr. said.
Crews were able to control the blaze in about a half-hour and prevent any damage to neighboring structures, Whiten said. No one was inside the residence and no firefighters were injured.
Whiten said the house had been vacant for some time and utilities were shut off to the structure. The state police fire marshal investigated and determined the fire was intentionally set and started in a second-floor room, Whiten said.
Squatters had been living in the structure up until recently, Whiten said, but they had been forced out and the property owner had since boarded up the house.
“It was boarded up pretty tight,” Whiten said. “We had to cut the front door to get to it. The guys in the back had to force entry through the back door.”
However, investigators think the person who set the fire was able to gain access through a basement door, Whiten said. The state police fire marshal could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Due to the amount of damage to the home and concerns about the chimney possibly collapsing, borough officials authorized an emergency demolition of the building and it was razed Tuesday morning just hours after the fire was reported.
Firefighters from Lock 4, Fallowfield Township, Stockdale, Monessen and Bentleyville assisted Charleroi at the scene. Charleroi Regional police officers and medics from Rostraver EMS were also dispatched to the fire. Fire crews were at the scene for about three hours Tuesday.