Faulty surge protector blamed

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Surge Protector Could Be To Blame For Crafton Fire

(KDKA) CRAFTON A faulty surge protector could be to blame for a fire in Crafton this evening.

Firefighters say the blaze broke out in the upstairs apartment of a building on Oregon Avenue.

The woman who lived there, a KDKA-TV employee, says she had her laptop computer plugged into the surge protector, along with a lamp and a stereo.

The damage from the fire was confined to the upstairs apartment. The unit downstairs had some water and smoke damage.

Crafton Fire Chief Roy Hermes says the fire could have caused more damage if it weren’t for an off-duty Carnegie firefighter who happened to be in the neighborhood visiting a friend.

“He ran up and, made an initial assessment and, then went in the building as far as he good without gear, and breathing apparatus,” Hermes said. “He was there, and gave us a good assessment, upon our arrival and, that's very helpful to get information like that, right from the get go.”