Firefighter Injured Battling Blaze At Historic Brownsville Building
BROWNSVILLE (KDKA) – A firefighter suffered a minor injury while battling a blaze at an old Fayette County motel Wednesday night.
Firefighters from 11 different fire departments were called to help fight the fire in the 400-block of Market Street, in Brownsville Wednesday night.
KDKA's Lisa Washington talked to lifelong Brownsville residents, who said the building has a lot of history.
"It just was real heartbreaking to see and think of all the great family memories and all the great people," said Sharon Givens.
Givens has fond memories of the three-story brick building on Market Street. She lived there as a child and it was the location of her first business.
"It was a landmark in Brownsville. It was a grocery store owned by Joe Sheehan and anyone that was born or raised in this area, knows Sheehan for the great food," said Givens. "In the 70s, I started my business there and I was mentored by Mr. Sheehan."
Fayette County 911 dispatch told KDKA the call for the fire came in just before 11 p.m. Wednesday. The building has a significant amount of smoke and fire damage. It was empty at the time of the fire, but people who live nearby say it was under renovation. A notice of application for a liquor license was posted in one of the windows.
"When I came up the hill today and saw what it was, I was very saddened," said Betty Jean McCune, of Brownsville.
McCune recalls working in her uncle's grocery store in the building, as a teenager.
"St. Patrick's Day was like Christmas over there," said McCune. "He always did special things. He was a very, very good businessman."
The grocery store, McCune said, was at that location for nearly 50 years.
As for battling the fire, one of the firefighters injured his ankle and was taken to a local hospital for the minor injury.
"Our firefighters are the backbone of our town," said Givens. "They're here for everything. I salute them."
The state fire marshal's office is investigating the cause of the fire.
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