Connellsville social club catches fire early Tuesday
Members of New Haven Hose and Everson fire companies carry out pieces of duct work during cleanup of the fire at the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
Firefighter Tyler Rowe with New Haven Hose Company looks for possible hot spots in the fire at the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
A fire broke out in the basement of the Sons and Daughters of Italy in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
The upstairs of the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township sustained mostly smoke damage in the upstairs main portion of the club, but there will be some small scale cleanup that needs done as well, fire officials said.
The upstairs of the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township sustained mostly smoke damage in the upstairs main portion of the club, but there will be some small scale cleanup that needs done as well, fire officials said.
Area firefighters clean up after a fire at the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
Area firefighters clean up after a fire at the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
Pieces of vents were dragged outside after a fire at the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
Area firefighters clean up after a fire broke out at the Sons of Italy in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
A quick response and the collaboration of nine different emergency companies minimized the damage to a longstanding social club in Connellsville Township early Tuesday morning.
Rob Leiberger, chief of the Connellsville Township Volunteer Fire Department, said the call came in at 5:54 a.m. for smoke in the Sons and Daughters of Italy Lodge No. 454, 515 Rogers Ave., Connellsville Township.
鈥淭he burglar alarm was actually the first thing to go off, and then the call came in for a possible structure fire,鈥� he said.
The fire department is just across the street from the club and the vice president of the club, Tim Sines, lives just beyond the fire department.
鈥淚 got a call from ADT (the security company) that the burglar alarm had gone off and then the tenant (there is an apartment within the facility) came running over and said the basement was full of smoke,鈥� said Sines.
The tenant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was already awake and watching television on and off when he smelled a little bit of smoke.
鈥淚 turned on my ceiling fan, but the smoke seemed to be getting worse, so I opened the door and the basement was just full of smoke,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I ran out and over to get Tim.鈥�
Sines said after the tenant pounded on his door and explained the situation, he immediately called 911.
鈥淭he fire and most of the damage was contained to the basement where there鈥檚 a downstairs bar, which is mostly used by people who rent it for parties or events,鈥� Leiberger said. 鈥淭here is really heavy damage to the basement and there鈥檚 a lot of smoke damage upstairs.
鈥淲e had a nice quick response by the first couple of companies and got a quick knock down,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had to overhaul the basement and open it up in there to knock the fire down quick.鈥�
Sines said if he had his way, the upstairs main bar area would be open by 3 p.m. that same day, but Leiberger said they had to cut the power, so going through the insurance company, the power company and everything else, the clean up and restoration process might take longer than Sines would like.
鈥淚鈥檒l be calling to get them in here as soon as possible to start getting the place cleaned up,鈥� Sines said.
The tenant said he didn鈥檛 lose anything and that the only damage to his property was smoke damage.
鈥淔or now, I鈥檒l stay with some friends and family, but I鈥檒l have to wash a lot of my clothes and stuff,鈥� he said.
Leiberger said the Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal will be investigating the cause of the fire.
Along with Connellsville Township, other emergency services responding to the fire included Dunbar Township, New Haven Hose, South Connellsville, Scottdale, Everson and Bullskin fire departments along with Fayette EMS and EMS Rehabilitation.