Firefighters responded to the blaze at the former Castle Blood haunted house on Main Street shortly before 11 p.m., but found heavy smoke coming from the structure and fires raging on all four floors, said Ron Sicchitano Jr., assistant fire chief for Bentleyville.
It took seven fire departments about three hours to control the fire, and many remained at the scene until late Wednesday morning. Bentleyville firefighters continued to keep a close watch on the building throughout the day because some areas rekindled, Sicchitano said.
Buildings on both sides of the former haunted house were not damaged.
Bentleyville Council President Lena Greenfield said there had been some complaints of people entering the structure in past years. She added that the building had recently been sold and the new owner, whose name was not available, indicated he wanted to have it demolished.
The building had been unoccupied for about a decade, Sicchitano said.
He said the cause of the fire was not immediately known and a state police fire marshal is investigating. Fire departments from Cokeburg, Richeyville, California, Charleroi, Fallowfield and Valley Inn assisted Bentleyville.