Steel City Christmas’ Third Annual Light Up Night

For the third year in a row, Robert and Raquel Cox will be putting on Pittsburgh’s First Computer Animated Christmas Display. Over 200,000 lights connected to 5-1/2 miles of extension cord takes 3 months to set up, but Robert and Raquel work on the project year round. Read more

Workers OK After Liberty Tunnel Air Shaft Rescue

PITTSBURGH — Two workers were rescued after being trapped in an air shaft above the Liberty Tunnels early Wednesday morning.

The two workers were ending their shift at 5 a.m. after working in an air shaft above the tunnels, said Jim Struzzi of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

He said when the workers tried to come out, their motorized lift stopped, trapping them.”There was an equipment failure on their part,” said Chief Stephen Carlson of the Pittsburgh Fire Department. “It wasn’t anything they had done.

“Struzzi said the workers were trapped 250 feet above the roadway and 60 feet below the top of the mountain.”

It was easier to bring them back up to the opening they went in than to take them down to the roadway inside the tunnel,” said Carlson.Emergency workers used a safety harness to rescue the workers, and neither worker was injured.”

It’s a slightly unique situation there, and hopefully something we won’t see happen again,” said Struzzi.The outbound lane of the tunnel was briefly closed while crews got the workers out.\

Link to Original Article. wpxi.com

Fire Dept. President Accused Of Fixing Bingo Game Gets Trial

NORTH BELLE VERNON, Pa. — A local fire department is accused of fixing a bingo game so he and his friend could win will go to trial.

Investigators said the incident happened at the North Belle Vernon Fire Department in Westmoreland County back in May.

Two bingo hall volunteers said they saw the fire department president, Roger Nogy, 56, slip some numbers and announce them quickly during a game on May 7.

Nogy’s alleged accomplice confessed to the act and said the two of them hoped to win the game’s $1,500 prize, authorities said.

Link to Original Article wpxi.com

The two volunteers said they have no regrets about reporting on Nogy’s alleged actions.

“What’s right is right,” said Daneen Watson. “What’s wrong is wrong. It was irrespectable bingo up there.”

Nogy faces a number of charges, including violating the Small Games Of Chance Act.

SUV rolls onto man after crash, killing him

By Jennifer Reeger
TRIBUNE-REVIEW

An Allegheny County man died early Monday morning when he was ejected through the sunroof of his vehicle, which rolled on top of him during a crash along the Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass in New Stanton.

Scott E. Austin, 40, of Megown Drive, Library, died at the scene of the accident, which occurred just before 4 a.m. near the Toll 66 interchange with the Pennsylavnia Turnpike, the Westmoreland County Coroner’s office reported.

State police in New Stanton said Austin was driving his Toyota sport utility vehicle south on the toll road when he missed his exit at the end of the expressway.

Austin over-steered as he returned to the ramp, causing his vehicle to go sideways before flipping over nearly twice, police said.

Austin, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected through the sunroof. The vehicle came to rest on top of him, police said.

The coroner’s office said he died of multiple blunt-force trauma to the head and chest. While an autopsy was not performed, toxicology tets were conducted, the coroner’s office said.

Austin’s death marks the 52nd traffic fatality in Westmoreland County this year. There were 33 in all of 2007, the coroner’s office reported earlier this year.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_598951.html

120+ PA Fire Departments Get a Piece of the $48.5 Million

Congratulations to the 120+ Pennsylvania fire departments who were awarded the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). On Friday, $48.5 million in assistants grants were awarded to fire departments all over the United States.

This was the eleventh round of FY ‘08 grants awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The goal of the AFG program is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical services organizations.

These are just a few of the Local Departments who I saw listed on the web page. For the complete list click the following link. Assistance to Firefighters Grant.

• Raccoon Twp. Vol. Fire Dept.
• New Brighton Volunteer Fire Department
• Lancaster Emergency Medical Services Association
• Hanover Volunteer Fire Department
• Erie Fire Dept
• Beaver Falls Fire Department
• West End Ambulance Service
• Oil City Fire Department
• Richland Township Fire Department
• New Galilee EMS (dba Northwestern EMS)
• Sharon Fire Department
• Irwin Volunteer Fire Department
• Canonsburg Volunteer Fire Department

Once again, congrats on your awards. Sorry if I didn’t list your organization above. It’s a very long list.

Blaze Destroys Topless Bar – Fire Chief Recovering From an Apparent Heart Attack

Basement Fire Damages Beaver Falls Home

Beaver Falls - A basement fire damaged a Beaver Falls home around 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Beaver Falls Fire Chief Mark Stowe said a pile of clothing in the basement of 1527 Fifth Ave. caught fire; the cause was being investigated by a state fire marshal Thursday.

Stowe said the home is owned by Andrew Pietro, and Joanne and Morris Vaughn, along with several children, were living there. Stowe estimated the damage at $5,000.

link to original article. TimesOnline.com

Two People Killed In Cranberry Township Crash

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Cranberry Township police are at the scene of a car crash that killed two people.

The crash happened on Route 19 near Rowan Road around 9 p.m. Friday. Southbound lanes are closed at this time.

Police are releasing few details but confirm two people were killed.

Link to the original article. WPXI.com

Man, Pets Escape As Blaze Tears Through Moon Twp. Home

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Firefighters were very busy overnight putting out a raging blaze along Charlton Heights Road in Moon Township.

The blaze tore through a two-story house after the blaze began on the porch, quickly gutting the building.Billy Breedlove lived in the structure with two dogs and a cat. He said one of the dogs woke him up, alerting him to the fire.He and his pets were able to escape uninjured.A passersby also rushed to Breedlove’s aid when he saw the flames.At this point, the fire marshal does not think the fire is suspicious.Everything but the Breedlove’s car and garage was destroyed. He is staying with relatives.The Allegheny County fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

http://www.wpxi.com/news/17979592/detail.html#-

Harrison woman injured in accident

By Jason Bridge
VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH

A Harrison woman was hurt in a collision that sent her car into the Hollywood Video store in Heights Plaza around 6 p.m. yesterday.

Harrison Police Sgt. Kevin Gourley said an SUV driven by Nancy Hogan, 51, of Allegheny Township, was pulling out of the parking lot next to Hollywood Video onto Broadview Boulevard and clipped the back end of a Mercury Capri driven by Valerie Freemire, 54, of Harrison.

That sent Freemire’s car into a tailspin and into the building.

Gourley said Hogan was not hurt, but Freemire was taken to Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison complaining of head pain.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/valleynewsdispatch/news/s_598455.html

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