West Newton fire destroys antique car shop, damages pizza shop
Darnell Graham
An overnight fire Wednesday destroyed two businesses in West Newton, Westmoreland County. Fire crews were call to Second Street at 10:45 p.m. An investigation is underway.
Darnell Graham
An overnight fire Wednesday destroyed two businesses in West Newton, Westmoreland County. Fire crews were call to Second Street at 10:45 p.m. An investigation is underway.
A Wednesday聽night fire that destroyed an antique car garage and damaged a four-generation pizza shop devastated the close-knit聽West Newton community.
鈥淓veryone in the community聽just feels like they lost their child,鈥� said West Newton Mayor Mary Popovich.
She said the flames were so intense they caused explosions, leading neighbors to think someone was firing shots. The blaze started at about 10:45 p.m. at Area 51 Autoworx and spread to the neighboring West Newton Pizza House, according to West Newton volunteer fire department Captain Dustin Sanner.
No injuries were reported.
He said with antique cars in the restoration process inside the shop, materials including paint thinner served as accelerants, and wind blew embers to the pizza shop roof.
Popovich said she could see the flames shooting from the shop from her house on a parallel street.聽
鈥淭he whole sky was orange. It was just incredible. It went up like a piece of paper,鈥� she said.聽
Sanner said both buildings were insured. About one dozen vehicles were destroyed or damaged in the fire. Only a shell remains of the auto shop, but Sanner said fire damage was contained to the pizza shop roof, while the lower level sustained water damage.
Popovich said the fire was economically tragic for the small community at a time when officials are working to restore the borough. She grew up next door to the pizza shop, and said she has eaten there since she was very young. The shop has been in the same family for four generations, she said.聽
A state police fire marshal investigated the cause of the fire Thursday, but has not yet made a determination. Sanner said the fire was not suspicious.
Sanner thanked his department and the 11 crews who came to assist. He said the teams worked well together to prevent the fire from spreading to other structures.聽
Popvich said the fire was a reminder of the importance of local fire departments and asked community members to support their volunteer fire crews.