Jun 13, 2022 2 min read

At least seven families were left homeless Monday morning after fire ripped through their apartment building in Donora.

Crews were called to the blaze at 681 McKean Ave. about 7 a.m. when an upstairs unit caught fire and swept through the rest of the building.

All of the residents living in the multi-unit building were able to escape uninjured, although some pets remained unaccounted for hours later.

Several residents could be seen rummaging through any belongings they could salvage outside the corner apartment building located at McKean Avenue and Seventh Street. One resident who identified himself only as Mike said the fire began in his neighbor’s upstairs unit and appeared to be running through the electrical wiring. Mike grabbed a small fire extinguisher and tried unsuccessfully to put out the blaze.

“It was spreading way too fast,” he said while standing on the sidewalk with other displaced residents. “It’s a total loss.”

While the exterior of the building remained, Mike said the interior sustained heavy damage. He added that several pets were able to make it out of the apartment building with their owners, although some cats were missing.

The American Red Cross said it was providing resources and assistance to 12 adults and four children in the seven units. Mike said the Red Cross had reached out to the residents and was helping, although many lost all of their belongings.

What sparked the blaze is under investigation, although Mike theorized the cause was electrical. The Donora Fire Company did not respond to messages seeking comment on the fire. It was not known if the building would be condemned.

The building’s owners are listed as Kenneth and Lisa Schmigel of Peters Township, according to Washington County’s online property records database.