Spectacular Fire Leaves Pittsburgh Church Building In Ruins

PITTSBURGH, PA — Fire ripped through a historic vacant church building on Grandview Avenue on Mt. Washington Tuesday evening.

The three-alarm fire broke out at the former Grandview United Presbyterian Church at around 6 p.m. and wasn't brought under control until about 9 p.m., Pittsburgh Public Safety officials said.

The church is located at the intersection of Grandview Avenue and Kersage Street next to the Mt. Washington branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. The library was not damaged by the fire.

Firefighters were still on the scene Wednesday morning dousing hot spots.

No injuries were reported, but one firefighter was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

One man was arrested at the scene of Tuesday's blaze.

Authorities said Colton Normand faces charges of obstructing emergency services and providing false identification to law enforcement.There also is an active warrant for him out of Idaho.

According to Historic Pittsburgh, the Grandview United Presbyterian Church was organized on June 30, 1857 as Mount Washington Presbyterian Church. It changed it name to Grandview United Presbyterian Church in 1961.

Due to a dwindling congregation, the Pittsburgh Presbytery closed the church at the end of 2022.