A pre-dawn fire ripped through the third floor of a home in Pittsburgh’s Upper Hill neighborhood on Wednesday, then jumped to the third floor of the house next door and forced three families out into the street. Neighbors scrambled to get children and pets outside as heavy smoke rolled down the block, and crews had the flames under control in about 30 minutes. One firefighter was taken to a hospital with a knee injury, and residents and relief workers quickly turned to the messy work of sorting out water and smoke damage.
Firefighters were called to the 3300 block of Webster Avenue at about 7 a.m., where flames were visible on the third floor of the first home before the fire spread next door, according to the station. A second alarm went out around 7:15 a.m., and the blaze was reported under control near 7:30 a.m. Three households were displaced and the American Red Cross was called in to help the families. Battalion Chief Ed Farley told the outlet that everyone who lived in the homes made it out, and that the injured firefighter was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Department workload and local risks
According to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire 2023 annual report, the department has 671 firefighters and handled 46,482 total calls last year, including 151 structure fires. That steady tempo of emergencies helps explain why even a single house fire can send multiple units racing up the hill and leave several households out of their homes while investigators sort through the aftermath.
Neighbor Benjamin Wormesby told he rushed upstairs to pull his grandchild out as smoke filled the house, while his wife Charlene said, “there’s a lot of water damage and smoke damage, but everybody’s okay, that’s all that counts.” Benjamin added that the family does not plan to move, even after the damage. Officials say the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Red Cross is coordinating temporary assistance for the three displaced households while recovery crews evaluate structural and water damage. City officials said more information will be released as investigators determine how the fire started.
