Baldwin Fire Rescue, several mutual aid fire companies, Baldwin EMS, and Baldwin Borough Police were called to a reported auto body business fire in the 5100 block of Brownsville Road at around 12:25 p.m. on December 31.

When police units arrived on the site, they saw black smoke rising from the garage area and verified that the fire was operational. Soon after, the EMS chief reported that the building was completely engulfed and that there were signs that the fire could have been fueled. Baldwin Fire Rescue units, including Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Truck 1, Squads 1, 2, and 3, and command staff, responded. When Engine 2 arrived first, the car garage was completely consumed.

A second alarm, which brought in more mutual assistance organizations, was requested due to the intense fire conditions throughout the building. As soon as they arrived, the structure started to fall, so firefighters created a collapse zone and continued to operate defensively. To contain the fire, several handlines and aerial tools were employed. Before clearing, units worked on the site for a little more than three hours. The Allegheny County incident Marshal's Office is still looking into what caused the incident. Tower 295 of the West Mifflin #3 Volunteer Fire Company was one of the supporting organizations. It sent six volunteers into the Baldwin Fire Rescue area and ran for almost two hours before going back to work. During the event, several additional local fire departments offered both standby coverage and on-site aid.