CITY OF MCKEESPORT, PA – At 5:18 P.M. on July 16th, City of McKeesport firefighters were dispatched to McKeesport Auto Body, located along Rebecca Street, for a report of live wires down on the building.

Firefighters arrived and found heavy smoke coming from the roof of the building and the alarm was upgraded to a second-alarm structure assignment.

Crews made entry and found a fire quickly running along the roofline of the building. Crews found bad hydrants in the area, so several tankers were requested as crews attempted to make an interior attack. Command requested that crews evacuate the building after the fire had spread to chemicals stored in the building, and having no water supply established, additional tankers were requested from Westmoreland County.

Crews then set up a defensive attack on the main fire building while other crews worked to protect an exposure home. A third-alarm was requested just before 8:00 P.M. as fire continued to rage inside the building.

Crews worked for several hours before the fire was brought under control. The scene finally was cleared almost nine hours later at 2:03 A.M. No one was injured.