By Margaret Harding
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review
PITTSBURGH — Mark Azen and his parents sat in their car and watched as Pittsburgh firefighters tried to stop a fire from destroying their Troy Hill home.
“We lost everything,” said Azen, 41. “I’m just sick.”
The fire started about 6 a.m. Monday in a vacant house on Elbow Street near Lofink Street, fire officials said. It then spread to the Azen home and another unoccupied house that neighbors said the owners were renovating.
“My mom woke the family up screaming, ‘Fire!’ ” said Azen, who escaped unharmed with his parents and family dog.
Officials are investigating the cause of the fire.
“Anytime there’s a vacant building that catches fire, you’re suspicious about how it started,” said Deputy Fire Chief Frank Large. “But it’s entirely possible that maybe someone was squatting there and accidentally caught it on fire.”
Azen said his parents called police last week after hearing noises and seeing the door to the vacant house “busted in.” Police confirmed that they have been called to the house before but could not elaborate. Firefighters have responded to calls there in the past, Large said.
A city firefighter suffered a back injury after he slipped from a ladder, Large said. He was taken to UPMC Mercy, Uptown, where he was expected to be treated and released, Large said. No other injuries were reported.
The city’s Bureau of Building Inspection yesterday was scheduled to begin the process of condemning the vacant house where the fire started, said demolition manager Paul Loy.
“My inspector was out there Friday afternoon,” he said. “We were going to start that proceeding today, but unfortunately somebody burned it.”
The city will clean up what’s left of the vacant home, Loy said, adding that BBI will solicit bids for demolition this week. The city will cover the cost, Loy said.
The city’s demolition budget for condemned properties doubled to $2.19 million this year, but Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said he would like to spend even more.
“Abandoned buildings and properties are a problem in our city,” Ravenstahl said. “As we move forward into the latter half of this year and into our budget next year, we need to find additional dollars to deal with these problems in our neighborhoods.”
The other burned-out homes likely will need to be razed, Large said.
The fire was reported at 6:01 a.m., and the first units arrived four minutes later, Large said. Authorities reported the fire under control at 8:37 a.m. The American Red Cross was assisting the Azens with food and clothing, spokesman Brian Knavish said.
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