Explosion, fire hit NBV building

By CHRISTINE HAINES

chaines@yourmvi.com

Firefighters from 10 departments in three counties responded to an explosion and fire Tuesday night in North Belle Vernon’s Broad Avenue business district.

The fire began around 9:15 p.m. in a garage in the rear of 525 Broad Ave., where several men were working on vehicles. David Wadsworth, who is also a Washington Township firefighter, ran to the scene a half block from his house.

“My friend owns the building,” he said. “A spark from a grinder hit something and it exploded and then some other explosions were kicked off. It blew the garage doors off.”

Wadsworth and several other men alerted residents in the apartments on the upper floors of the building.

“There were no injuries, thank goodness,” said North Belle Vernon Fire Chief Kurt Parshall. “We had a report of three missing, but they were out of the building before anyone knew they left.”

Parshall said the upper floors were not affected by the smoke or fire, though businesses on the first floor may have suffered some smoke damage. Large fans were set up to eject the smoke from the building.

The North Belle Vernon fire department was assisted at the scene by firefighters from departments in Westmoreland, Fayette and Washington counties including Monessen No. 1 and Hilltop, Rostraver Central, Smithton, Collinsburg, Fayette City, Belle Vernon, Charleroi and Bentleyville.