Two firefighters suffered injuries while fighting a fire at a Cheswick (PA) business that sparked concerns about chemicals stored at the site.
The fire at Filter Service and Installation was reported around 4:30 p.m., according to WPXI (http://bit.ly/1br5k72). Video footage showed black smoke pouring from the structure’s roof, which eventually collapsed.
Hazmat crews were called to the scene because of concerns about chemicals in the building, but it was later determined that those chemicals did not cause any environmental hazard and the nearby Allegheny River was not affected.
One firefighter was hospitalized with burns to his hand, while another suffered an unspecified injury.
A witness at the scene reported an explosion before the fire began.
According to KDKA (http://cbsloc.al/1gyop5d), the company located in the building cleans restaurant kitchen hoods and inside was a chemical called caustic soda, which is used for cleaning. About 15 workers escaped the fire.
Cheswick is a borough on the Allegheny River located in the greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area.
Read additional details and watch video athttp://bit.ly/1br5k72andhttp://cbsloc.al/1gyop5d.
For more on hazmat concerns at emergency scenes, considerSurviving Hazmat Incidents in Tough Economic Times,Hazmat Survival Tips : Hazardous Materials Incident Size-Up, andMaking Informed and Defensible Decisions.
