Feb 4, 2005 By Patty Yauger 3 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – While fire investigators continue to search Thursday for clues as to what caused a South Pittsburgh Street building to go up in flames a day earlier, an adjacent business resumed its normal routine. Workers at the Nancy Borris Hair Salon were welcoming their regular customers after spending much of the morning hours clearing away water and debris from the Wednesday fire that heavily damaged an adjacent shuttered business and caused moderate damage to apartments above the beauty salon.

“We’ve got a great crew working in here right now,” said Debbie Bigam, daughter of building co-owner Nancy Fritsky.

Bigam said that after electrical power was restored to the salon, family members and friends began the task of mopping up the water and removing soot and dirt that had accumulated when firefighters battled the flames at the adjacent Comfort Corner Shoes.

“Now if we could only get rid of the smell of the smoke,” said Bigam as she sat behind her desk at the shop.

For nearly four hours Wednesday, local fire departments with support from neighboring companies poured thousands of gallons of water on the three story building to extinguish the flames that moved quickly to the roof.

Dennis Petrowski, Connellsville Fire Department assistant chief, said that a brick wall located between the salon and shoe store and the upper floors of the two businesses prevented the fire from causing extensive damage to the beauty shop and the two occupied apartments above it as it had to the adjoining business.

While the building appears to be one structure, explained Petrowski, it was at one time two separate sites. Renovations made over the years have given it the appearance of being just one, he added.

Bigam, meanwhile, said that the apartment tenants are currently staying with Fritsky while her family members clear away the damage caused by water and smoke.

“They should be able to move back in within the next few days,” she said.

The investigation, meanwhile, has not provided a reason as to what caused the early morning blaze.

Yellow tape was stretched along Fairview Avenue to South Pittsburgh Street while members of the Allegheny County Fire Marshal K-9 unit, U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), local police investigators and Connellsville Fire Department Chief Joe Childs searched through the rubble.

Window frames no longer covered with glass along with large holes in the roof exposed the charred interior of the shuttered shoe store and the floors above it.

Connellsville police Chief Stephen Cooper said late Thursday that investigators would return to the scene Friday in hopes of determining the cause of the fire.

“At this time, we are continuing to label it as suspicious,” he said.