An intense, large and fast-moving fire has caused a partial collapse at an apartment building in Squirrel Hill on Tuesday morning, reports CBS News. The fire broke out at an apartment on Forward Avenue and was first spotted around 8 am. Witnesses near the fire on Forward Avenue told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 they began to see smoke around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The inferno prompted a massive response from Pittsburgh firefighters and other city first responders. Heavy smoke and flames can be scene billowing from the building. It was visible from the Parkway East.


Everyone who lives in the building is accounted for and there are no injuries at this time, Public Safety said. Pittsburgh Emergency Management officials are on the scene and helping the people in the area who have been impacted by the fire.

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Massive fire at Squirrel Hill

Pittsburgh Public Safety officials asked people to avoid the area while they work to put out the flames and heavy smoke. The intense blaze caused a large portion of the roof to collapse, as well as part of the front of the building. Firefighters were just outside when the collapse happened, but the façade fell backward.

Pittsburgh Public Information Officer Cara Cruz told local media that the fire was reported as a second alarm but quickly grew to a third, then fourth alarm. "(Crews) are still fighting this fire. It is obviously not under control," Cruz said. "As I said, it started on the third floor, but there is also an electrical fire in the basement."

The blaze started on the third floor of the building and continued to burn through the roof and rest of the building. Officials added there is also an electrical fire in the basement of the apartment.

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An evacuation order was issued and no injuries of the 30 people have been reported. A caretaker in one of the residents told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 reporter Marcie Cipriani he was washing clothing when the first alarm went off.

Multiple parts of the roof collapsed while the façade of the building has crumbled. We were live on air when a portion of the roof came down. Firefighters are attacking the flames from all sides of the building, including from neighboring structures.

Someone who lives in the building said the fire spread quickly and without warning.

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"I thought someone burned their breakfast or something, so I opened the window to let the smoke out, and next thing I know, there's firefighters going up the stairs. They're banging on the doors letting everyone know they've got to get out," Matthew Stock, a resident told CBS. "At first they had it contained, and then it started to spread. We saw more black smoke coming up, and then without warning, we just had these sudden flares of fire and then the roof collapses in, which was pretty dramatic as you can imagine."

The Red Cross and Salvation Army are also on the scene to help. The blaze also impacted the traffic in the area as well. The entrance ramp to the inbound Parkway East is closed until further notice, and the inbound side of the Parkway is slow moving. Drivers are asked to use caution in the area.

Once in Squirrel Hill, the area of Murray Avenue is inaccessible as firefighters have brought in their heavy equipment in an effort to contain the flames.