Fire Investigators: Electrical System Failure Caused Gulf Tower Blaze
By: KDKA-TV News Staff
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire's Investigation Unit says it has determined the cause of last month's fire at the Gulf Tower downtown.
According to investigators, the basement fire that sent smoke plumes from the top of the skyscraper was caused by a "failure of the secondary phase" of the structure's electrical system.
They add that Duquesne Light Company's infrastructure had nothing to do with sparking it.
The Fire Investigation Unit has determined the cause of this fire to be a failure of the secondary phase of the Gulf Tower's electrical system, which is NOT part of Duquesne Light Company's infrastructure. https://t.co/hCZ2rzxT5c
— Pittsburgh Public Safety (@PghPublicSafety) June 3, 2021
The fire was contained to the basement but caused smoke to fill the entire structure. It knocked out power to half the building and prompted a full evacuation.
Fire officials said the smoke poured from the top of the building because "a ventilation shaft forces it out" as part of the building's design.
Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.