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House investigated for drug activity destroyed by fire
A house where Washington police and members of the Washington County Drug Task Force had made purchases of illegal drugs was destroyed by fire Saturday morning.
Washington firefighters were called just after 7 a.m. to 141/2 Shannon Ave., located in an alley behind St. Paul A.M.E. Church.
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“They’d been having trouble keeping people out of the building,” Brookman said of the owners. “They’d secure it, but people kept breaking in.”
The house is owned by Washington Incentives, a branch of the church. He said the two-story home was given to the church. There was no insurance on the home, and it was a total loss.
“The fire had been burning awhile before it was reported,” Brookman said. “Because of the way the building was constructed and the amount of fire, it was difficult to fight. The second floor collapsed into the first floor, so we were fighting it from the outside.”
Brookman said it took about an hour and a half to bring the fire under control. State police fire marshal Eric Graham was called in, but the cause could not be determined because of the extensive damage.
“We can’t get in there to determine the cause or origin,” Brookman said.
Police Chief James R. Blyth said that the home had been a problem for years, dating back to when he was still a patrol officer almost a decade ago.
In August, the task force with the help of city police arrested Shaelyn Newton, who lived in one of the apartments. Detectives confiscated 28 grams of crack, a scale, a small amount of marijuana and $500.
City firefighters were assisted at the scene by Chartiers Township firefighters along with the Rapid Intervention teams from North Strabane and Peters townships. North Franklin Township firefighters remained on standby at the main city fire station.
No injuries were reported.
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