Fire alarm blares 15 hours at US public housing

Aug 07, 2012 |

WILKINSBURG

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A fire alarm that blared for more than 15 hours at a Pittsburgh-area public housing complex has finally been shut off.

Residents of Glenshaw Gardens in Wilkinsburg say the alarm's strobe lights began flashing and a high-pitched screech began sounding on Sunday evening when a resident burned some popcorn.

Allegheny County Housing Authority officials say the alarm was turned off on Monday morning.

Building president Bud Joyce says the delay occurred because the housing authority began managing the building in May and didn't have a key to the room where the alarm's control panel is located because the room also contains access to a bank's automatic teller machine.

Accessing the room in a way that would safeguard the ATM caused the delay. Joyce has apologized to residents and says, "It won't happen again."

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