Newell post office, residences damaged in suspicious fire
A Wednesday morning fire that damaged a post office, apartment, and a neighboring house on Fourth Street in Newell Borough appears suspicious, according to fire officials.
Thalia Juarez | 蘑菇视频
A fire that damaged a post office, apartment, and a neighboring house Wednesday morning in Newell Borough appears suspicious, according to fire officials.
A Southwest Regional police officer on scene of the Wednesday morning fire that damaged a post office, apartment, and a neighboring house in Newell Borough. The fire started around 11:30 a.m. and appears to be suspicious, according to the Newell Borough Fire Chief.
Martin Harger Sr. speaks with Southwest Regional Police after he witnessed the fire next door to his home on Fourth Street in Newell Borough Wednesday afternoon.
A Wednesday morning fire damaged the majority of the rear of this building which also houses the Newell Borough Post Office in the front. The Newell Fire Chief said the fire appears suspicious. No injuries were reported.
A fire that damaged the Newell post office, adjoining apartments and a neighboring house appeared to be suspicious, according to fire officials on the scene Wednesday morning.
A fire marshal was called to rule on the cause of the fire, which started on a porch of the apartment building at 406 4th Street in Newell Borough just before 11:30 a.m. The post office is in the front of the building.
No injuries were reported. Newell fire Chief Steve Snyder said the back of the structure, which houses vacant apartments, was fully engulfed when crews arrived.
A post office employee escaped uninjured, Snyder said. It was not immediately apparent whether the post office, which sustained smoke and water damage, would be closed.
The siding and roof was damaged at a neighboring house owned by Newell volunteer firefighter Martin Harger Sr. He was home when the fire started.
鈥淚 heard some noise. It didn鈥檛 sound right,鈥� he said.
When he heard popping and cracking, he knew there was a fire. He secured his house and escaped uninjured.
Donald Pidanich, who owns the building that houses the vacant apartments, inherited the building from his father.
His sister, Sandy Fordian, said they stored their late parents鈥� belongings in a room of the badly burned structure.
鈥淢y mom was a big picture and video person, and that all happened to be in this room here,鈥� she said, motioning to the charred remains.
Snyder commended his crews and neighboring departments for their fast response.
Newell firefighters were assisted by South Brownsville, North Brownsville, Fayette City, Grindstone, Washington Township and Belle Vernon fire departments. Southwest Regional Police and Brownsville EMS also responded to the scene.