Electrical fire hits parking garage of Oakland apartment building, no injuries reported

A smoky electrical fire that broke out Sunday afternoon in the parking garage under an Oakland apartment building forced residents out in the street, according to authorities.

Police and firefighters responded to a call of an explosion shortly after 3 p.m. in the garage of the SkyVue Apartments located in the 3300 block of Forbes Avenue, according to Pittsburgh police spokesman Chris Togneri.

“Firefighters encountered heavy smoke when they entered the garage and found a number of the sprinklers had activated,” Togneri said. “They determined that it was an electrical fire inside a column.”

The fire stopped burning after Duquesne Light deactivated the system, he said.

Togneri said most of the residents had already left the building by the time first responders arrived, but emergency personnel went door-to-door to make sure everybody was out.

No injuries were reported.

The 10-story apartment building is not believed to have sustained any smoke or water damage and residents will be allowed to return home once the scene has been cleared.

A fire investigation unit was dispatched to the scene to try to determine the fire’s cause.

Traffic around the section of Forbes Avenue where the fire occurred is being detoured. Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh police as well as city fire and EMS crews responded.