A massive fire at an industrial complex in southwestern Pennsylvania not only destroyed 10 businesses but also caused more than $400,000 in damage to fire apparatus and equipment from several volunteer fire departments.
Photo by John Barna/The Daily News Numerous fire companies from throughout southwestern Pennsylvania responded to the multimillion-dollar fire.
On Jan. 31, 1997, at 8:38 P.M., the two volunteer fire departments in Glassport, PA, were dispatched to a structure fire at Tech Met, located in an industrial park that contained eight other businesses. Citizens Hose Company 1 (Station 22) responded with Engines 22-1 and 22-2 and Squad 22 with 40 firefighters under the command of Chief Daniel Kolick. Reliance Hose Company 2 (Station 23) sent Engine 23-1 and Truck 23, an 85-foot aerial, with 33 members under the command of Chief Darwin Levkus.
Arriving on the scene at 8:40, Kolick saw heavy fire venting from the second-story front of the Tech Met complex and established command. This area of the structure had been covered with corrugated fiberglass sheeting that had already burned through. Flames were extending 15 feet out of the front of the building and 50 feet high in a mass of different colors.
Kolick directed first-in Engine 22-2 to take a hydrant inside the complex in front of Kunze Custom Design, which is on a six-inch private water supply. This engine hooked on to the hydrant with two three-inch supply lines. Engine 23-1 laid an 800-foot length of five-inch supply line from a hydrant at the corner of 9th and Monongahela Avenue into the complex. This hydrant was on a 12-inch main on the municipal water system. Engine 23-1, Truck 23 and Engine 22-1 then positioned on side 1 of the complex.
An attack with a 2 1/2-inch pre-connect from Engine 22-2 by four firefighters under Glassport Captain Ken Brownfield was made through the main door of Tech-Met. This operation was immediately halted due to dust explosions occurring in the ceiling area caused by a buildup of aluminum and copper dust from prior manufacturing operations. A defensive mode of operations was initiated with one 2 1/2-inch line and a deck gun operating into the roof area of side 1. Engine 23-1 and Truck 23 also set up master-stream operations on the north side of the building. A crew of firefighters was sent into the Kunze building to check for fire extension to the south.
Kolick immediately requested a second alarm, which brought Liberty Boro Engine 8-1, Clairton Engine 46-1 and TeleSqurt (TS) 46, and City of McKeesport EP-1, a 75-foot aerial, to the scene. Elizabeth Township Central (Station 7) was put on standby for Liberty Boro (Station 8) and West Mifflin No. 3 (Station 28) moved to Citizens Hose Company 1.
Engine 8-1 arrived on scene at 8:53 and hooked onto the hydrant at 9th and Monongahela and pumped the five-inch supply line that was laid by Engine 23-1. Clairton units were directed to set up at the rear (side 3) of the complex. Engine 46-1 hooked up to a private hydrant on a six-inch main at the rear of the building with a 100-foot-long five-inch supply line. A 100-foot five-inch supply line was laid to TS-46 from Engine 46-1. Station 23 Chief Levkus and Station 22 Lieutenant Jeff Long were placed in charge of operations on side 1 with Station 46 Captain Drew Martin and Station 8 Captain Bruce Synir in charge of operations on side 3.
Photo Courtesy of Citizens Hose Company 1 Firefighters cut through a metal door to gain entry to the Kunze Custom Design building.
Crews from Stations 8 and 46 were sent into the J. Duit building from the east and west sides and set up master streams to the south wall and roof areas to keep the fire from spreading to the north. A triage area was established at Station 23 by Mike Horgos, paramedic supervisor of Lifestar at 9:08, and Lifestar Medic Units 1 and 53 served as the primary triage units. Knox Walk, the Allegheny County EMS coordinator, requested 11 additional medic units and ambulances from Baldwin, Eastern Area, Jefferson Ambulance, Mars, Ross-Westview, Seneca, Tri-Com South, Turtle Creek, West Mifflin, White Oak, Wilmerding and Wilkinsburg. McKeesport Truck 39 arrived at 9:14 and was positioned at the rear of the structure. A 100-foot three-inch supply line was laid from TS-46 to supply Truck 39's aerial master stream.
At 9:34, Kolick requested additional mutual aid. Port Vue Engine 19-1 responded from Station 19. West Mifflin No. 3 (Station 28) was called for a full department response. This brought Engines 28-1 and 28-6, Squad 28 and Rescue 28 to the scene. West Mifflin No. 4 moved up to West Mifflin No. 3. Engine 19-1 was positioned at the rear of the complex. Engine 28-1 hooked on to a hydrant at Ohio Avenue and Wall Street and pumped a 1,500-foot five-inch supply line laid by Engine 28-1 to Engine 28-6. Engine 28-6 relay pumped a 500-foot five-inch supply line to Engine 19-1 on side 3 of the building. Engine 19-1 supplied Truck 39 with two 50-foot three-inch lines. Station 22, Assistant Chief Aaron Carroll, was placed in charge of the staging area at a nearby supermarket parking lot. Station 22 First Lieutenant Mark Hadam was in charge of relief manpower.
Realizing that a large amount of hazardous materials may be involved and that additional air supplies would be needed, Kolick requested breathing-air and cascade units from Stations 3 (West Mifflin No. 3), 12 (White Oak), 15 (Gill Hall) and 25 (West Mifflin No. 2); Elizabeth Township Rescue 7 and Monroeville Air 13 to respond at 9:40 P.M. The Allegheny County Emergency Management Agency, Allegheny County Health Department, Pennsyl-vania Fish and Game Commission, Poison Control Center and the Allegheny County Red Team (hazmat response team) were also notified.
Kolick requested Engine 20-1 Dravosburg No. 1 (Station 20) at 9:50 and Engines 2-1 and 2-2 and Squad 2 from Blaine Hill (Station 2) at 9:54 to the scene. Engine 2-2 laid a 1,000-foot five-inch supply line from a hydrant at 9th and Ohio Avenue to the front of the building. Engine 2-1 continued laying the supply line to the front of the complex, then fed Engine 22-2. Engine 2-2 and Squads 22 and 23 were staged at the front of the building.
First-in Engine 22-2 had to be repositioned due to the growing intensity of the fire. This engine was reconnected to the hydrant with two 150-foot three-inch supply lines. A five-inch supply line was also laid from Engine 2-1 to this engine. The fire had traveled south and the roofs of two other businesses, Utility Pole Recycling and Maxworth Engineering, were now involved. A trench cut had been attempted between these two buildings but was unsuccessful. Once Engine 22-2 was back in operation, crews placed a 2 1/2-inch master stream and a portable deck gun into operation at the east end of the CSX building. Crews from Engine 19-1 advanced master streams to the building from the west and directed them toward the north wall in an effort to keep the fire from reaching a natural gas well, outside the CSX building, that supplied the complex.
Photo by John Barna/The Daily News The fire was reported 8:38 P.M., and the last units did not leave the scene until 6 A.M. the following day. Over three million gallons of water was used to battle the blaze.
The Pleasant Hill Volunteer Fire Department was requested at 10 P.M. and responded with Rescue 2, Squad 2 and Car 2. Kolick requested White Oaks No. 1 Truck 12, a 75-foot aerial, and Pleasant Hills Truck 2, a 105-foot tower ladder, to the scene at 10:15. Blythedale (Station 13) and Victory (Station 24) were placed on standby. Whitehall Truck 6, a 75-foot aerial, was moved up to the Pleasant Hills station. Additional manpower was requested from Green Valley (Station 67) and Munhall No. 4. West Elizabeth (Station 26) was placed on standby at 12:24 A.M.
The Mon-Younh fire official requested manpower for relief at 2:45 A.M. from Buena Vista (Station 5), Industry (Station 9), Lincoln Boro (Station 30), East McKeesport No. 2 (Station 33), Rostraver Central (Station 47), West Newton (Station 74), Option (Baldwin Boro), Homestead and New Eagle. A fuel tanker was supplied by USS Clairton Works to refuel apparatus on the scene. A fuel tanker from Pittsburgh was on standby.
The fire was brought under control at 2 A.M. using four aerial master streams, three deluge guns, six 2 1/2-inch lines and eight 13/4-inch hand lines. The first mutual aid units were sent home at 3:45 A.M. The last units to leave the scene were first-in Engines 22-1 and 22-2 at 6 A.M. All Glassport units were placed out of service until they were able to clean all of their equipment. Over three million gallons of water was used to battle the blaze. Both Glassport companies were recalled numerous times through out the day to extinguish rekindles.
EMS personnel documented 16 firefighters with medical complaints. Ten firefighters were transported to Mercy Hospital, McKeesport Hospital and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Seven suffered inhalation problems; other injuries included a fractured ankle, an injured shoulder and an injured hip. The other six firefighters were treated for minor injuries at the triage area but were not transported to a hospital. No injuries were reported by EMS personnel or the public. The triage area was terminated at 6 A.M. Several days later, five other firefighters were treated at hospitals for respiratory problems. All firefighters at the scene were advised to get a medical evaluation at the hospital for precautionary measures.
Fire departments reported more than $400,000 in damage to their apparatus and equipment. Glassport's Citizens Hose Company 1 incurred over $157,000 in damage. This included repainting and refinishing of apparatus from acid- laden water damage. In addition, the department had to replace 5,000 feet of three-inch hose, 10 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with 10 spare bottles, 27 full sets of turnout gear, five portable radios and two truck radios. Glassport's Reliance Hose No. 2's engine and aerial were out of service pending an insurance settlement. The company purchased a used pumper from the Meyersdale Fire Department in Somerset County to continue providing fire protection. Aerial ladder coverage was being supplied by White Oak, five miles away. The exact dollar amount of loss to Reliance could not be disclosed due to the pending litigation with the fire department insurance company. Mutual aid departments also incurred varying amounts of loss including SCBA, hose, nozzles, hand tools, handlights, personal alert safety system (PASS) alarms, turnout gear and apparatus damage.
Local, county and federal investigators believe the fire may have started in the Tech-Met complex due to the extensive fire damage in that building but they were unable to determine an exact cause. Businesses incurred over $5 million in damage. The buildings involved in the fire have been demolished and the Tech-Met company relocated to another building in the complex.
Jay K. Bradish, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is a former captain in the Bradford Township, PA, Fire Department. He has been a volunteer firefighter and fire photographer for more than 20 years.
