March 26--Smoke poured out of Angelina's Pizza and the apartments above it in Dormont this morning long after fire crews declared the four-alarm blaze under control.
No one was injured.
Dormont police Chief Jeff Arnold said it appeared the fire started in the kitchen of the building at McFarland Road and West Liberty Avenue, although a cause was not yet apparent as an Allegheny County fire marshal had not been able to get inside as of 8 a.m.
"It's a very stubborn fire," Chief Arnold said. "We chased it all over the place."
The fire also threatened buildings on either side of Angelina's, which fire crews doused with water. Both were evacuated. At least one of the buildings may have sustained smoke damage, Chief Arnold said.
West Liberty Avenue is closed between Biltmore and Peermont avenues.
Chief Arnold said it was difficult to get gas service shut off inside the building, causing a delay for firefighters.
Fire crews from Castle Shannon, Dormont, East Carnegie, Mt. Lebanon, Scott, Upper St. Clair and Whitehall responded to the fire.
Francesco Varrati has owned the building since 1989, leasing space to the pizza shop and upstairs apartment tenants.
He is retired and lives in Bloomfield. The building is his only source of income, he said.
"It's just a total shock," he said.
Molly Born: [email protected], 412-263-1944 and on Twitter: @borntolede.
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