As many as 6 people taken to hospitals after fire breaks out in McKeesport high-rise’s trash chute

MCKEESPORT, Pa. — Most residents are now back inside their homes after a fire broke out late Sunday morning at the Midtown Plaza Apartments.

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According to the McKeesport Fire Department, the fire started around 11:30 a.m. in the building’s trash chute. 

Crews were about to extinguish the flames shortly before 1 p.m.

Channel 11 was on the scene as firefighters worked to put out the flames.

“I seen the smoke everywhere and everyone was outside. They were still rescuing people. It was very chaotic,” one resident told Channel 11.

One person who lives on the 10th floor said they first noticed smoke creeping into their apartment and described heavy smoke in the hallway.

“Initially, it was just a haze. I shut my door, put down a wet towel and after five to seven minutes, the smoke got a little thicker coming in,” the resident said.

According to the fire chief, as many as six people were taken to a nearby hospital. 

One firefighter was also treated for a minor hand injury. 

Several residents with disabilities had to be rescued.

“There were people hanging out of the building trying to get rescued,” said Joell Welsh, who lives on the second floor with her daughter and grandchild.

Welsh said management gave tenants cleaning kits to wipe off soot and smoke damage, but she believes more support is needed.

“There’s people that are in wheelchairs and they’re not going to be able to clean their apartments themselves,” she said. “So everybody is just going to continue to get sick.”

The fire chief said that cleanup is now the responsibility of the building’s management.

Welsh added that this is just one of many issues residents have faced at Midtown Plaza.

“I know it’s low-income (housing), but we’re still human,” she said. “It’s not fair that we have to live like this.”

The Allegheny County Fire Marshal is investigating the fire.

Officials confirmed the fire was contained to the trash chute.

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