Roof Collapses During Fire At Abandoned Business
Firefighters in New Castle battled an intense blaze at a building early Monday morning along Long Avenue.Fire crews were called to the former business at about 2:15 a.m.Video showed flames shooting out of the windows. Shortly after firefighters arrived, the roof collapsed.Fire investigators told Channel 11 News that the fire started in the back of the building.They are calling the cause suspicious but have not officially ruled it arson.No one was hurt in the blaze, which was one of more than 50 suspicious fires in New Castle in the past 18 months. Investigators are offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.While police investigate the latest blaze, city code enforcement is trying to tear down abandoned buildings in the area.Investigators said no one lived in the home for years, but the homeowner, Eddie Grossman, said he lived there. No utilities were hooked up though, authorities said.It will now be added to the list of homes being torn down."There's quite a few (of abandoned buildings)," said Code Enforcement Officer Anthony Cioffi, who said there are more than 100.The mayor of New Castle said he is among many people fed up."We got to tear it down now," said Mayor Anthony Mastrangelo. "It takes money away from homes that really need to be torn down."Officials said it costs about $4,000 to tear down each home, but the city recently got some much-needed federal money to help out."We just received money Friday from the state, $150, 000 to begin tearing down homes, and that is going to help," said Mastrangelo.There is still a $3,000 reward for a tip that leads to an arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the arsons.http://www.wpxi.com/news/20427087/detail.html
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