Pittsburghers react to Mount Washington church fire: "Not seeing it will be crazy."

The former Grandview United Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh's Mount Washington went up in flames on Tuesday night. 

Located near Grandview Avenue and Kearsage Street, the former church caught fire around 6 p.m., and views of the Pittsburgh skyline were filled with a plume of smoke. 

A man was arrested at the scene, according to authorities. Colton Normand is facing charges of obstructing emergency services and providing false identification to law enforcement. Normand also had an active arrest warrant out of Idaho. 

Wednesday morning, dozens of people who live on Mount Washington or use it as a scenic route to walk were stopped in their tracks by what was left of the church. The inside was filled with rubble after the roof collapsed. Fire crews remained on scene watching for hotspots about 10 hours after the blaze was brought under control.

"Seeing the stained glass melted out, knowing it's going to be totally gone, is going to be a crazy visual. I've been up here 9 years, so not seeing it will be crazy to see," said Tyler Westerman.

While many say it's a bittersweet moment watching history burn, they say it's been an unsafe environment for years as it's been vacant and up for sale.

"It is sad, but like everyone's been saying, it's an eyesore and a hazard for a while, so it is suspicious of the timing of it. There has been a lot of talk about what's going to be in that spot, but for how many years it's been sitting there abandoned," said Lindsey Blobner.

According to police, an arson investigation is to follow, but when asked, Pittsburgh Public Safety said it is too early for further information.

Westerman said he suspects it was arson. "Obviously, we know it's up for zoning, so it's kind of crazy those conversations have been happening; also a lot of activity there. I know some people may use it as a safe space to sleep or eat, so that's sad too when we don't want anyone in there when it could potentially collapse." 

The city was on scene Wednesday for further assessment. No timeline has been set for demolition.