PITTSBURGH — On Sunday night, Pittsburgh firefighters responded to a fire at an abandoned house on Race Street in Homewood. A firefighter was burned during the response and left in an ambulance.
That scene has unfortunately become familiar to Pittsburgh firefighters. Three firefighters in the department have been injured fighting fires at abandoned homes in Homewood over the last month and a half.
>>> Demolitions of dilapidated Pittsburgh homes slowly progressing; safety issues persist
11 Investigates Jatara McGee has been reporting on the problems for months, even before the recent injuries. She took the concerns from firefighters and neighbors to City Councilman Khari Mosley, who represents the area.
>>> Concerns of squatting, arson and collapse as vacant buildings deteriorate in Pittsburgh
“This is a public safety issue. It’s an economic development issue,” Mosley told 11 Investigates. “I’m extremely concerned. Actually, I just put in a call to staff over at the Pittsburgh firefighters to get a briefing.”
He vowed to do more to address the problem and fight for progress after 11 Investigates exposed a list of problems plaguing Homewood and neighborhoods like it, all tied to condemned and abandoned buildings.
>>> Demolitions lag as vacant buildings plague Pittsburgh
In November, firefighters responded to back-to-back fires at vacant Homewood homes nearby. One of those fires sent a firefighter falling backward off a ladder. He suffered serious injuries.
>>> Firefighters battle 2 house fires in Homewood within hours of one another
Mosley said he wants to work with the fire department and plans to meet with the chief to get a full briefing and develop a plan to address the problem, prioritizing the abandoned properties that pose the most risk to firefighters and the public.
Mosley noted the process for a city-funded demolition can be long, an issue 11 Investigates has highlighted. He said residents have a right to be frustrated.
“I have some addresses that I’ve committed to memory in East Hills on Frankella Avenue, of houses that have sat for 15, 20 years,” he said.
11 Investigates filed public information requests with other cities to find out how they are addressing blight and safety concerns at abandoned homes. We found this year the city of Detroit demolished more than 1,532 buildings before the fall. Philadelphia demolished more than 181 buildings by that point.
City data shows the city has only demolished around two dozen homes this year, about 25% of its goal, within two weeks until the end of the year.
Mosley made the argument that there isn’t enough funding available. He also said councilmembers need to better advocate to the department of permits, licenses and inspections, for problem properties in their districts to come down. He said getting vacant homes torn down is crucial to making neighborhoods safer, getting properties back on the tax rolls and opening more opportunities for new affordable housing options.
“That’s advocacy on our part,” he said. “To ensure that these dangerous properties get torn down and we make our community safer.”
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