Fire Rips Through Spring Garden Pharmacy
SPRING GARDEN (KDKA)- A long-time pharmacy in Spring Garden went up in flames early Tuesday morning.
According to officials at the scene, the fire started around 1:30 a.m. at Waltmire Pharmacy on Spring Garden Avenue.
KDKA's Lynne Hayes-Freeland Reports:
When firefighters arrived, smoke was billowing out of the roof while flames consumed the inside.
The fire spread to a two-alarm fire and was eventually brought under control around 2:15 a.m.
Nobody was injured.
The owner of Waltmire Pharmacy, Don Waltmire, told KDKA-TV the store just celebrated its 30th anniversary last month.
"This is my home, these people are like my family, the first thing I have to do is find out how I can take care of them because we have lots of prescriptions in there. I just thank God nobody got hurt," said Waltmire.
He went on to talk about the investigation into the fire: "They don't know if was internal or if it was mischief. I think we have the tape salvaged, they're going to try and take a look at it and try to determine that as soon as they can."
KDKA-TV obtained surveillance video from a nearby business that shows a man running down Spring Garden Avenue appearing to jump into the air.
A short time later, he returns and runs away again with another man.
Less than three minutes later, smoke begins to pour out of the pharmacy.
KDKA's Trina Orlando Reports:
This morning, police reviewed that surveillance video.
They are also looking to see if surveillance cameras at Waltmire Pharmacy were destroyed in the fire.
Waltmire says he plans on rebuilding and trying to reopen as soon as possible.
"I would hate to have to leave, I would hate to have to leave like this, so I'm going to do everything I can to salvage the business," he said.
Today, the pharmacy plans on trying to contact customers who may have prescriptions waiting inside.
Arson investigators are looking into the cause.
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