HERMITAGE Broken waterline hurts fire efforts

One fire hydrant snapped off and just fell over with a fire hose still attached.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- A broken waterline hampered firefighters' efforts to put out a morning blaze at Olympic Fun Center, 4070 E. State St.
The alarm came in around 7:30 a.m. today when a passer-by spotted flames coming from the roof of the roller-skating rink.
Police Chief Ed Stanton, one of the first on the scene, said flames were visible coming from an area of the metal-sided building where electrical wires enter the facility.
Fire crews reported heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof when they arrived moments later.
Their efforts to battle the blaze were curtailed when the waterline broke, resulting in a loss of water to some of the firetrucks.
The broken line caused a fire hydrant at East State Street and Androla Drive just west of the fire scene to snap off, cutting the supply coming from that hydrant.
Water then began coming up through the ground and running down an embankment into a ditch about 50 feet from the hydrant.
Authorities also reported problems with a hydrant near East Sate Street and Keel Ridge Road just east of the fire. That hydrant was believed to be on the same main line as the Androla Drive hydrant.
Police closed State Street, the main east-west route through the Valley, at Androla and Keel Ridge at the height of the morning traffic rush, forcing motorists to find alternative routes.
Although there was still smoke coming from various parts of the building at 8 a.m., firefighters said the blaze may not be as serious as it appeared.
Crews were still on the scene at press time. The cause of the blaze wasn't immediately determined.