Owner of Lower Burrell auto repair shop vows to reopen after fire

Sharpe Automotive owner Arthur “Artie” Grazier vowed Monday that he would reopen his Lower Burrell shop after repairing damage from a Sunday night blaze.

“Half of my customers showed up wishing me luck. Someone even brought me a pizza,” Grazier said late Monday morning. “This is a great community.”

The fire was reported around 11 p.m. Sunday in the 2700 block of Leechburg Road, near Chester Drive. Someone reported seeing smoke coming out of the eaves of the one-story building, said Brennan Sites, assistant chief of Lower Burrell Volunteer Fire Company No. 3.

Firefighters had the fire under control in 20 to 25 minutes, Sites said. The brick building had interior damage, but no structural damage, he said. Two vehicles that were at the shop at the time of the fire were damaged, Grazier said.

One firefighter suffered what Sites called a minor injury and was treated at the scene.

With the help of Grazier, firefighters were able to quickly find and remove potentially explosive items such a propane tanks, Sites said. Although Grazier could not enter the building, he directed firefighters to where the propane tanks and other potentially combustible items were located.

“These types of fires pose a different kind of hazard to firefighters,” Sites said.

He credits the quick knockdown of the fire to his company and other fire companies from the Alle-Kiski Valley arriving on the scene quickly.

“The fire companies got there before I did,” Grazier said, adding he was grateful for the quick response from numerous fire companies.

Assisting Lower Burrell were volunteer fire companies from Upper Burrell, New Kensington, Arnold, Plum, Leechburg, Gilpin, Vandergrift, Tarentum and Allegheny Township responded. Murrysville Medic also responded.

The fire is being investigated by Lower Burrell No. 3 and a state police fire marshal, Sites said.

Grazier, who has owned the auto repair shop for about a decade, suspected that electrical issues from a refrigerator or hot water tank could have played a role.