Tarentum Fire Destroys 2 Vehicles, Damages Apartment & Garage

TARENTUM (KDKA) – Two vehicles were destroyed and a nearby garage and apartment were damaged by an early Monday morning fire in Tarentum.

Fire crews were dispatched to a vehicle fire in an alley between East First and Second Avenues in Tarentum around 3 a.m.

When firefighters arrived on scene, the flames had already engulfed a pickup truck and a van.

"The car fires were somewhat challenging. The van had a lot of combustibles in it. This gentleman does operate his own business, so the vehicles had some excess equipment storage in there," Eureka Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Brad James said.

However, the fire quickly spread to a nearby garage apartment.

"Both vehicles are gutted, the first floor of the garage apartment sustained just smoke damage, the second floor did sustain smoke and heat damage," James said.

Fortunately, no one was living in the apartment, but crews had to make sure no one was trapped inside.

"There was no immediate exposure to the front, but the responding companies made sure everyone was accounted for and we made sure any evacuations that needed to take place, did," James said.

Several neighbors called 911 to report the flames. They said there were some exotic pets being housed in the garage area.

There is no word on whether those animals were removed safely.

A fire marshal has been called in to investigate the cause of the fire.

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