Three Pittsburgh firefighters burned in a flashover while battling a suspected arson fire early Monday morning.
When the firefighters reached the third-floor of the structure, the flashover occurred.
"At that point you hear that call come in and I focus my efforts and man power on accountability and getting our guys out of there. Now the fire gets to gain headway on you," Battalion Chief Tim Kopicko told WPXI-TV.
Crews responded to the fire at an apartment home on Maryland Avenue in the Shadyside neighborhood around 2:30 a.m. and alerted the owner who was still inside when they arrived.
Two of the firefighters were treated and released from a local hospital while a third remains at UPMC Mercy Hospital for treatment of burns to his back.
The news station reported that 18-year-old James Casson was arrested in connection with the fire and is expected to face arson charges.
A witness told investigators that the teen was seen on the roof of a neighboring home, lighting towels and clothes on fire and tossing them onto the roof next door.
An investigation into the fire is ongoing.
