Fireworks to blame for overnight blaze at vacant school in Marshall-Shadeland
Pittsburgh firefighters spent nearly three hours battling a fire early Friday morning at the former Horace Mann School in the city’s Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood that authorities say likely was started by fireworks.
Firefighters encountered heavy smoke coming from the roof of the vacant building on Shadeland Avenue when they arrived just before midnight, according to emergency dispatchers.
The incident was raised to two alarms to dispatch additional manpower to the scene after firefighters reported having difficulty reaching the fire.
There were no injuries reported.
Pittsburgh’s Fireworks Task Force reported that around 11 p.m. on Thursday, task force officers ordered a group of people who were shooting off fireworks from the baseball field near the school to stop and clean up the debris.
About 40 minutes later, the fire was reported at the school, police said. The blaze caused between $50,000 and $60,000 in damage.
Pittsburgh Public Schools closed Horace Mann Elementary School in 2006.
Tony LaRussa is a TribLive reporter. A Pittsburgh native, he covers crime and courts in the Alle-Kiski Valley. He can be reached at tlarussa@triblive.com.
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