Oct 23, 2003 By Steve Ferris 2 min read

An electrical malfunction sparked a fire that heavily damaged a rear second floor apartment at 62 E. Main St. in Uniontown near the Fayette County Courthouse just after noon Wednesday. The apartment, 202A, was occupied, but the tenant, Rebecca Pryce, was not home when the fire started. Nobody was injured, Uniontown Fire Chief Myron Nypaver said.

He said an electrical problem in the bedroom area started the fire. He and state police fire marshals determined the fire was accidental.

The fire was contained to apartment 202A, but smoke damage occurred throughout the second floor, Nypaver said.

A total of nine people live in the five, second-floor apartments situated above several, first-floor businesses in the Fayette Professional Services building, which is owned by Ann M. Bereiter. There is also an accountant’s office on the second floor.

None of the residents were home when the fire was reported at 12:16 p.m., Nypaver said.

“Pretty heavy damage,” Nypaver said, “The guys did a really good job. It was a terrific stop, confining it to the back part of the building. There was a lot of fire when we pulled up. It could have been a lot worse.”

He said firefighters from the city, Hopwood and North Union Township prevented the fire from spreading to other apartments and offices in the building.

Smoke from the fire spread throughout the downtown Uniontown area Wednesday afternoon, including the Fayette County Courthouse.

The building is one of the oldest in Uniontown. Judge Nathaniel Ewing built it in 1924-1925.