Feb 3, 2023 2 min read

The Burgettstown Volunteer Fire Department Social Hall will be closed for at least three months after a driver crashed through the building last month and struck a support beam, causing significant damage.

The driver was not injured.

Burgettstown Fire Chief Jerry McClain said damage to the building is estimated at about $200,000.

He said the borough hopes to have repairs completed in time for Burgettstown’s Community Days on July 14-15, which will celebrate the borough’s 100th anniversary.

The accident occurred around 5 p.m. Jan. 18 following a funeral lunch that was held in the social hall on South Main Street. According to McClain, the driver drove to the rear of the building to load her car.

Instead of braking, she accidentally hit the gas pedal and drove through the hall, striking the main support beam, McClain said.

“There’s a lot of damage on the inside, damaged block and brick,” said McClain. “From the outside, it doesn’t look bad, but she hit the main pillar of our hall and that’s the concern.”

In addition to cracked and broken block and brick, the flooring also is cracked and must be replaced.

The fire department has canceled upcoming events scheduled at the social hall due to concerns about the stability of the roof, and is holding its meetings in a conference room.

“I felt so bad for the lady who hit (the pillar). Everything can be replaced. As long as nobody got hurt, that’s the main thing. We can fix everything else,” said McClain.

The department’s fire trucks are housed in a bay that was not impacted by the crash.

The borough’s goal is to have the social hall up and running before the centennial event.

“We’re hoping everything is done by then. (Contractors) say it’s going to be close, but they’re going to do everything they can,” said McClain. “This is our hundredth year serving the borough residents, so this is just bad timing.”