Transformer fire forces evacuation of Pittsburgh's PPG Place tower
May 2018Published 6 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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What happened
On Tuesday 29 May 2018, during the evening rush hour, building security ordered the evacuation of the PPG Tower at 1 PPG Place in Downtown Pittsburgh after a fire was found in a transformer on the 41st floor, in a mechanical equipment room. The fire was first reported around 5:30 pm and was classed as a two-alarm call because the building is a high-rise. Building security used a dry chemical extinguisher to put the fire out before fire crews arrived.
A deputy fire chief said the transformer had spilled oil and that the case must have ruptured, though the cause is not reported. He described the fire as small. Some people reported hearing a loud banging or crashing noise. Occupants leaving the building were unsure why they were being evacuated, and one occupant said they had been told it was a bomb threat; this was not confirmed in the report.
The deputy fire chief questioned the decision to evacuate the whole building, saying that people well below the fire were not in danger and that the evacuation congested the stairs. No injuries were reported.
Contributing factors
The deputy fire chief said the transformer had spilled oil and that the case must have ruptured. The cause of any rupture is not reported. The report states that fire officials questioned the decision to evacuate the entire tower.
Lessons learned
- Transformers in high-rise mechanical rooms need oil containment, rupture relief and fire separation proportionate to the risk they pose to occupied floors.
- Evacuation plans for tall buildings should be matched to the floor affected, so that people far from an incident are not moved through the same stairs.
- Alarm messages should state clearly what has happened and where, since occupants in this incident were unsure why they were leaving.
More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, emergency response and public communication, detection and monitoring, from every incident on the register.
Source
Published 2026-11-06. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
