Fire hits McKeesport auto body shop

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

Firefighters from several Mon/Yough Valley fire departments were called to McKeesport Friday evening for a major blaze at an auto body shop.

The three-alarm fire was reported just after 5:15 p.m. at McKeesport Auto Body in the 600 block of Rebecca Street, according to an Allegheny County 911 dispatch supervisor. 

The supervisor said no one was trapped in the building, according to the Tribune-Review, which reported that Allegheny County Public Safety officials said the fire was suspected to be sparked by a downed power line and that involved utilities were notified.

McKeesport firefighters on scene couldn’t provide any information prior to presstime. A firefighter at McKeesport Fire Department’s downtown station said crews were still on scene as of 9:46 p.m.

Crews from Duquesne Light Co. were also on scene as firefighters tried to tackle the blaze. Smoke and some small flames were still seen coming from the auto body shop around 9 p.m.

Heavy smoke billowed into the sky for hours and was visible from as far away as the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge, which is on the opposite side of McKeesport. 

Flames were shooting through the roof as two ladder trucks, one from McKeesport and one from Glassport, hosed down the fire from above. Tanker trucks were also on scene, including one from Collinsburg in Westmoreland County.

A man who was standing on the side of the road but didn’t give his name said he was inside the Elbow Room bar and restaurant and walked outside to see flames and smoke coming out of McKeesport Auto Body. 

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