Morning Roundup: 2 firefighters injured in Squirrel Hill blaze; 1 injured in Etna fire

Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, Sept. 24:

2 firefighters injured in Squirrel Hill blaze

Two firefighters were hurt at a house fire early Wednesday in Squirrel Hill.

One was taken to a hospital in stable condition after suffering from heat exhaustion while fighting the blaze on Beechwood Boulevard, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety. A second firefighter was treated at the scene for heat-related symptoms.

The fire was reported just after 3 a.m. in the basement of a home. Authorities said an overheated dehumidifier sparked the blaze that was under control in about 45 minutes.

A woman who lives at the home escaped unharmed after smoke alarms alerted her to the situation, authorities said.

1 injured in Etna fire

One person was taken to a hospital from a fire early Wednesday in Etna, according to Trib news partner WTAE.

The fire was reported around 1:30 a.m. on Butler Street.

No other details were available.

Road work planned in Carrick, Beechview

Traffic-calming measures are set to be added to streets in Carrick and Beechview, according to Pittsburgh officials.

In Carrick, six speed tables will be added on Nobles Lane between Saw Mill Run and Brownsville roads. They will be accompanied by pavement markings and signage. That work is scheduled to start Thursday and will last two days.

Two speed humps will be added on Dagmar Avenue and four speed tables on Cape May Avenue in Beechview. Also, crosswalks, parking lines, pavement markings and signage will be added, officials said. That work is expected to start Friday and last four days.

Residents in those areas requested traffic studies that showed vehicles were speeding on the roads, which have speed limits of 25 mph. Officials said they hope the projects reduce crashes and speeding.

New life for Washington Crown Center

The Washington Crown Center is set for a new life as Franklin Crossroads Park, which developers said will be a mixture of retail and business.

Industrial Realty Group and PREP Funds have acquired the mall in North Franklin Township, Washington County, according to an announcement.

Construction is expected to begin this fall and part of the mall will remain open through the end of the year.

Developers said they plan to create a 100,000-square-foot retail center and transform a long-vacant retail space into a business park in an effort to attract a mix of uses in customizable spaces, which could include office, industrial and research.

The first retail tenants are expected to occupy new space early in 2026 and business park tenants will follow later in the year. The announcement did not include a purchase price.

Latest South Side patrol report

Pittsburgh police reported seizing five firearms last week in the South Side and making seven arrests in the East Carson Street corridor.

Between Sept. 17 and Sunday, South Side Entertainment Patrol officers made 14 traffic stops and wrote four traffic citations and three parking citations, according to statistics released by authorities. There were 28 arrests on non-traffic citations for infractions such as public urination, public drunkenness and possession and/or smoking marijuana in public.

The special patrol is in response to a spike in trouble there by unruly crowds and isolated incidents of gunfire. Residents, community activists and business owners are spearheading an effort to rebrand East Carson Street and change its reputation, the Trib recently reported.