Firefighters respond to call at annex

Ridgway, Pa. – Members of the Ridgway Volunteer Fire Department responded Tuesday afternoon to what initially started out as an odor investigation at the Elk County Courthouse Annex in the 300 block of Center Street. According to Ridgway fire chief John Wygant, an initial investigation yielded no results and he terminated the investigation. Elk Company 4 was reportedly called out at 2:58 p.m., according to 911 dispatch. "Five minutes after I left, I was called back as the smell got more intense," Wygant said. "It was then that I called for the general alarm." The general alarm came in as a structure fire call. The department's ladder truck, stationed at Central Fire Station, was raised on South Broad Street as the focal point was on the second floor of the Courthouse Annex near the elevator. "There were Christmas decorations, Christmas lights in a glass case and the fluorescent ballast malfunctioned," Wygant said. "The power goes to the ballast and that turns the lights on, but there was an electrical problem with that." There was no damage to the building and firefighters were at the scene for approximately 30 minutes.