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Fire dept. politics, personalities hamper mutual-aid response

The state fire commissioner says there is no reason for fire chiefs to block neighboring departments from backing them up

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WTAE.com

NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. — If your house catches fire, the closest fire station may not be called to help put it out, Action News Investigates has learned.

Fire chiefs of neighboring stations sometimes do not get along. And in Pennsylvania, it’s up to the local fire chief to decide who backs up his department when they go to a fire.

When a house caught fire on Lobinger Avenue in North Braddock, multiple stations were called to back up the North Braddock Volunteer Fire Department. Trucks came from East McKeesport, 5.7 miles away; Monroeville, 6.5 miles away; and Penn Hills, 6.7 miles away.

Full story: Investigation finds politics, personalities hinder fire response