Fire destroys Monessen house
Courtesy of Monessen Volunteer Fire Department
Fire crews work at the scene of a second fire in Monessen early Friday at 552 Chestnut St.
Ed Riedmann/For the Observer-Reporter
Fire crews work to extinguish a fire at 14 McKee Ave., Monessen, Thursday.
Firefighters had to back out of a burning Monessen house Thursday after an unknown type and amount of fireworks started to explode.
A crew had to retreat again from 14 McKee Ave. after its roof began to collapse, Monessen fire Chief Delmar Hepple said.
No one was injured while multiple Mon Valley fire departments assisted at the scene, Hepple said.
He said the 10:30 p.m. call was reported as a porch fire, but it quickly spread to the second and third floors of the frame house.
The residents, Alex and Lacey Mielke, escaped from the fire after being awakened by a wind sound and seeing an orange glow in the house, Hepple said.
The state police fire marshal investigated the fire scene Friday and could not determine its cause, he said.