Video: Massive Fire Burns at Pa. Apartment Building

Firefighters in Ambridge are battling a fire that spread from an apartment building to a neighboring structure on Friday morning.

One resident of the apartment building in the 500 block of Merchant Street suffered injuries from smoke inhalation after fire erupted in the building at about 5:30 a.m.

Firefighters and police said six people were evacuated from the three-story building that houses Charles Men's Store on the first floor and apartments above, five of which are occupied. Police initially responding to the scene said they saw flames coming from a back office area on the first floor.

One tenant who wasn't identified was taken to Heritage Valley Sewickley hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.

Ambridge Assistant fire Chief Rob Gottschalk said low water pressure hampered firefighters. At one point, they were pouring between 4,000 and 6,000 gallons of water per minute on the building, he said.

Officials are still concerned about the front of the building collapsing onto Merchant Street, Gottschalk said. He added that the way the building is constructed allowed the fire to spread faster than usual and flare up unexpectedly as firefighters worked.

Two firefighters were in a stairwell inside the building when the stairs collapsed, but medics said they declined to be evaluated for minor injuries.

After 9 a.m., the flames moved to an adjacent two-story brick building that contains retail space on the first floor and at least one apartment on the second floor. By 9:30 a.m., firefighters had the flames contained on both buildings.

Copyright 2012 - The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service