Occupants rescued in early morning McKeesport fire

They were asleep when a blaze erupted at their Oakland Street home.

Several structure fires occurred in the McKeesport area over the weekend.

At approximately 1:38 a.m. Saturday, the McKeesport Fire Department was alerted to a residential structure fire at the 3400 block of Oakland Street in the city.

Chief Jeffery Tomovcsik said police on the scene as well as other officials confirmed a working fire with reported entrapment that went to a second alarm.

“It had a two-and-a-half story frame structure with fire from the attic window,” Tomovcsik said. “They did stretch a hand line and they made it up to the second floor, where there was a fire on the second floor. So they extinguished the fire on the second floor and then they went to the attic.”

The occupants were asleep at the time of the incident, according to Tomovcsik, and were woken up by the neighbors pounding on their door trying to get their attention.

“Up until that point, they hadn’t heard anything,” Tomovcsik said. “They were not aware of anything going on and they also said they hadn’t had any issues in the home, so they were unaware of what could have caused the fire.”

McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Services treated one person for smoke inhalation, and the Red Cross arrived to assist with aiding those in the home, according to Tomovcsik. No other injuries were reported, and the situation was brought under control at 2:26 a.m.

Crews from White Oak, Glassport, Allegheny County Airport Authority, Versailles Borough, Lincoln Borough, Duquesne Annex, Dravosburg and Munhall were all at the scene to assist.

The McKeesport Fire Department also assisted Glassport with a vacant house fire at 9 p.m. Friday in the 700 block of Michigan Avenue and a residential structure fire after 5 p.m. Saturday in Duquesne.

The Allegheny County fire marshal is investigating the incidents.

“A fire marshal was actually on scene already because he had already been here checking on the crews investigating the Glassport fire,” Tomovcsik said about the McKeesport fire. “So he was able to respond initially with our crews.”