Saturday fire in New Kensington considered suspicious

A fire early Saturday in New Kensington is considered suspicious, authorities said.

The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that police are investigating the blaze along Sixth Avenue as potentially intentional.

“On behalf of the New Kensington police department, we can confirm that police and a Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal are investigating it as a suspicious fire,” spokeswoman Melanie Jones said.

No one was reported injured in the incident early Saturday when flames tore through a converted house at about 1 a.m., severely damaging four apartments. Jones said a dog was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene.

On Monday, the house was blocked with police tape although many sections of the tape had been broken. The rear of the house, where there was a first-floor apartment kitchen, was heavily damaged and black with soot. It appeared the tenants on the second and third floors of the unit lost everything. The windows were broken out and everything inside was charred.

Siding was heavily burned; mattresses and other belongings were piled in the empty side lot.

Messages left for the state police fire marshal were not returned.

Fire Chief Ed Saliba Jr. said the fire appeared to start at the back of the three-story house and burned through the roof. It took about three hours to knock down. It reignited at least once over the weekend.

Crews from Lower Burrell, Arnold, Plum, Tarentum and Murrysville assisted.