Fire breaks out while demolition crews working at former Century III Mall
A fire broke out Wednesday morning while demolition crews were working at the site of the former Century III Mall in West Mifflin.
The Pleasant Hills Volunteer Fire Company said first responders were called to the area just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday after receiving reports of black some coming from the former mall property.
The fire department said when they arrived, firefighters found smoke coming from what remained of the structure that's in the process of being demolished.
Demolition crews were working to remove steel beams from the structure when roofing material caught on fire.
The fire department said that crews were able to put out the fire and no injuries were reported.
Demolition work has been going on for some time, starting with the parking structure and then moving onto the rest of the mall.
After demolition work began, Mall Boulevard, the roadway around the former mall site, was permanently closed.
Last winter, state and local leaders announced a major investment aimed at helping rehabilitate the former mall site, but it's unclear what plans may be in place for the future of the area.
Century III Mall's history and surrounding court battles
The former mall, once the third largest in the world, opened in 1979 and was sold to Moonbeam in 2013. The company promised to revitalize it, but in 2019, the borough determined the building to be out of compliance and the mall closed.
West Mifflin Borough Council unanimously voted to condemn the property last year. Court battles between Moonbeam and the borough forced a judge to order the two sides to work in good faith and get the building torn down.
That ruling came following several incidents where people were trespassing inside the building, including one where seven people were arrested. In the wake of the judge's decision, Neiswonger put demolition equipment in place and started to tear down parts of the structure.
Incidents at the site of the former Century III Mall
In April of 2023, the mall was the scene of a fire investigated as arson. Investigators said they found accelerant present on some of the debris collected at the scene.
A YouTuber from Ohio and two other people he was with were charged with breaking into the mall later in 2023. Police said he filmed the break-in, and a Clairton man who was also allegedly exploring the mall that day with an unidentified woman was charged.
In June of 2023, a teenager fell through the roof of the mall while filming a TikTok and was hospitalized. The West Mifflin police chief said he was charged with trespassing.