Multiple structures damaged; no injuries reported in fire
Three houses and two garages in Butler were damaged in a Friday evening fire in Butler, but no injuries were reported.
The fire was reported just after 7 p.m. at a halfway house on Broad Street. The house and its detached garage were extensively damaged, Butler Fire Chief Chris Switala said.
The fire also damaged the exterior of two neighboring houses and heavily damaged the detached garage of one of those houses, he said.
At the scene after the fire was extinguished, Switala said he was just beginning his investigation to determine which building the fire started in.
Several people who called 911 to report the fire told dispatchers that multiple structures were on fire, he said.
Six fire departments responded to assist the city fire department.
“We had multiple lines to prevent the fire from getting into the interior of those homes,” Switala said.
Joe Gray, the city's engineer, said his brother owned the house, but was out of town Friday.
He said his brother has owned the house for several years and spent a lot of time making sure his tenants kept their apartments clean and followed the rules.
“It was a good thing he was doing here,” Gray said.
He said he didn't know if anyone was home when the fire started.
Switala said he ordered all firefighters out of the house at one point because the roof was in danger of collapsing, and it did a short time later. The rear of the house was also heavily damaged.
VA Butler Fire and Emergency Services and volunteer fire departments from Butler Township, Penn Township, Center Township, Saxonburg and the Adams Area Fire District also responded to the fire. Butler Ambulance Service personnel provided water and wet towels to firefighters after they emerged from the house. City police closed Penn Street and assisted at the scene.
Switala commended Pennsylvania American Water for increasing production at its water plant to provide firefighters with enough water to fight the fire.
