Fire in Brighton Heights displaces 13 residents

A four-alarm fire at a Brighton Heights apartment building sent smoke billowing as crying residents stood in the street.

The fire on Thursday afternoon in a three-story Termon Avenue building displaced 13 tenants, officials said. No one was injured.

Jasmine Prude, 24, said her 3-year-old daughter was at school when the fire broke out. Prude said her third-floor apartment is next to the unit where firefighters believe the fire originated. A friend driving past spotted smoke and flames and called her.

“My house is on fire!” Prude cried. “It's scary. I don't know, but everything is gone.”

“It's bad,” said Jennifer Batten, 31, who fled her apartment with her 2-year-old son and her medication when someone knocked on her door to warn her.

Firefighters on the scene notified the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority that some hydrants weren't working. The agency immediately responded, spokeswoman Melissa Rubin said.

“This is of great concern to us. And we are investigating,” she said.

Jones said smoke alarms were working in the building and that the cause of the fire was not known.

The American Red Cross said it would provide shelter and other assistance to residents.

The fire caused an estimated $200,000 in smoke and water damage, Deputy Chief Dan Hennessy said. The roof must be replaced, he said.

The four alarms drew the attention of Angela White, 41, who lives in an apartment building next door.

“I just heard them coming, and I looked out and I seen them coming,” White said.

The apartment buildings are owned by Wexford-based JBC Holdings LLC, whose president is William Jeke.

Jeke said both buildings are insured.

Tory N. Parrish is a Trib Total Media staff writer. Reach her at 412-380-5662 or tparrish@tribweb.com.