Jan 13, 2005 By Josh Krysak 3 min read

A late night fire Tuesday that blanketed South Connellsville with heavy smoke and kept seven fire companies busy for more than three hours was ruled arson by the state police fire marshal Wednesday. And the nighttime blaze helped fuel area worries about the string of fires plaguing the city since late 2002.

The most recent blaze broke out just before 11 p.m. Tuesday at C & J Wood Products along Baldridge Avenue, just a few hundred feet from the closed Anchor Glass factory. The company primarily manufactures refurbished pallets.

With a steady rain falling, firefighters worked to contain the blaze along Baldridge Avenue, with hoses snaking through the muddy lot, all running toward the smoldering building.

One of the firefighters was injured while battling the fire, although his identify and condition was not released Wednesday.

The blaze will join a list of more than two dozen fires in Connellsville over the past 15 months that remain under investigation, most of them in the city’s South Side.

Authorities suspect multiple arsonists are to blame for a rash of fires that has kept firefighters and local and federal investigators busy.

The bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, ATF agents worked in conjunction with the Connellsville Police Department and the state police to determine the cause of the blaze.

Jim Groh, who operates C & J Wood Products in the building which is owned by his wife, said the fire is a total loss for him.

“I have run this business for 17 years,” Groh said, watching the flames twist through the roof of the building as firefighters doused the roof with water.

Groh said he and four employees who work in the squat, brick building finished working around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. He said “everything was secure” was secure when he left the building.

“I think somebody lit it,” Groh said, the night before the blaze was ruled an arson.

Groh admitted he normally keeps a woodstove burning in the evenings at the business, but said he has done the exact same nightly routine – placing eight logs on the fire and then closing the air vents – for 17 years. Groh said normally by 10 p.m. the fire would definitely be dead and added he was certain the woodstove did not cause the blaze.

“I know somebody lit the place and it’s a shame,” the lifelong Connellsville resident said. “I don’t have any insurance and this is my job, my family’s job.”

Groh said before the fire, he hadn’t really worried about the rash of fires across his town. Now he said the arsons have him concerned for his family.

“Now I’ll think about it, sure” Groh said, glaring at the burning structure.

Groh’s bookkeeper, Connie McKlveen, said the latest Connellsville fire could not have struck a nicer family.

“They are hard-working, honest people,” McKlveen said. “It is just a shame.”

Groh did have one bright moment Tuesday, when he learned his 16-year-old pit bull Shiba – although suffering some burns and injuries – was rescued from the flames by emergency crews.

“Thank God she was saved. She’s been with me from the beginning,” Groh said.

In addition to South Connellsville Volunteer Fire Department, fire companies from Everson, Morrell, Bullskin, Connellsville Township, Connellsville City/New Haven Hose and Scottdale battled the fire which broke around 10:41 p.m.

According to Fayette County 911, in addition to the fire stations, emergency personnel and crews from Allegheny Power, Fayette EMS, the state police, the state police fire marshal and the South Connellsville Volunteer Police Department also responded.