Oct 24, 2018 2 min read

The chief of Midway Volunteer Fire Department said the origin of a fire that destroyed a vacant house directly behind the fire station early Wednesday was suspicious.

Fire Chief Doug Baird said a neighbor awakened about 1:15 a.m. to a cracking noise and looked out to see flames coming from the vacant structure at 102 Stevenson St. The neighbor called 911.

“The house right next to it was endangered when we pulled up,” Baird said. “We had a great knockdown and a quick save. There was no damage to the house next door.”

A former tenant of the residence who did not want to be identified said that her son moved out of the house in September. She said that someone had been at the residence every day checking on it. The former tenant said the owner was planning to renovate the house and sell it. She also said that vandalism had been done to the property. The vandalism was reported to McDonald police, who patrol the borough.

Baird said the two-and-a-half-story, wood-frame house that was destroyed was reportedly a hotel in the 1930s when there was an active rail line in the borough.

“It was balloon construction,” Baird said. “There had been so much reconstruction over the years. It was a hard firefight.”

Baird said a state police fire marshal has been called to investigate the cause. The chief said it appears the fire started near a window on the front, left side of the building.

“As part of our paid firefighter’s duties, she regularly checks on vacant buildings in the borough. If she sees any issues in any of the buildings, she reports back to the police department,” Baird said. “We were keeping an eye on this building because of how close it is to the fire department.”

Fire crews were on the scene for about three hours. Baird said there were no injuries or major issues fighting the blaze.

Assisting Midway at the scene were firefighters from McDonald, Mt. Pleasant Township, Slovan, Sturgeon, Cecil Township No. 3 and North Fayette Township. On standby were crews from Oakdale, Houston and Burgettstown.