Jan 4, 2019 1 min read

Departments from Monessen and surrounding towns spent hours at a fire that engulfed a vacant house in the city Thursday night.

Firefighters were called to the 1300 block of Sycamore Street about 10:30 p.m., and flames had cloaked the building by the time they arrived, city fire Chief Chris Rhome said. No one was injured.

“Actually we had the fire under control in short order, it’s just that the fire had gotten to the attic,” Rhome said, “and we basically had to expose it from there to get it extinguished.”

The last truck left at 1 a.m. Rhome said the house was destroyed “for the most part.”

The cause of the fire is unclear.

“I’m awaiting to meet with the fire marshal for him to investigate; however, there were no live utilities to the structure,” Rhome said.

Along with Monessen’s two fire departments, members of the Charleroi, Rostraver Central, Carroll Township, Belle Vernon and Lock 4 departments responded. Counterparts from Donora and Washington Township were on standby in the city.