Photos show massive fire at vacant church on Pittsburgh's Mount Washington
A massive fire broke out at a vacant church in Pittsburgh's Mount Washington neighborhood on Tuesday evening.
The former Grandview United Presbyterian Church near Grandview Avenue and Kearsarge Street caught fire around 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Smoke billowing high into the sky from the 3-alarm fire was seen from numerous spots in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Views of the Pittsburgh skyline showed a plume of smoke above buildings in Downtown, as Pittsburgh firefighters worked on the ground on Mount Washington to contain the fire. The fire drew onlookers who watched as crews battled the smoke and flames. Pittsburgh Public Safety asked people to avoid the area as the fire ripped through the church. The fire was brought under control just before 9 p.m. However, crews were expected to remain overnight to monitor hotspots.
"One of the big things is the size of this structure and the complexity of this structure," Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire Assistant Chief Matthew Davis said. "Multiple floors, different angles, different walls. Over the years, buildings change, so we were chasing fire throughout the building."
One firefighter was transported to a local hospital for evaluation, Pittsburgh Public Safety said in a post on X. Their condition was not released. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The building was condemned on Wednesday.
A man was arrested at the scene of Tuesday's blaze, authorities said. Colton Normand faces charges of obstructing emergency services and providing false identification to law enforcement. He also had an active warrant out of Idaho.
