Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Thursday, May 8:
2 injured in Apollo fire
Two people were taken to the hospital after a fire in Apollo early Thursday morning.
The blaze started around 1:10 a.m. Thursday in the 400 block of Kiski Avenue, according to TribLive news partner WTAE.
Two people were taken to the hospital after suffering smoke inhalation and lacerations on their arms, WTAE reported.
It was not immediately clear what may have started the fire.
Pennsylvania Attorney General warns of scams after storms
Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday warned people impacted by last week’s severe storms to be wary of potential scammers as they look to have homes and businesses repaired.
Damaging storms last week tore roofs from buildings, downed trees and left thousands without power, many for days.
Sunday in a statement urged people to do their research before signing service agreements or making payments as people seek help to address storm damage.
“The best way to avoid being scammed is to do a thorough check on any potential contractors before committing to services,” Sunday said, urging anyone who believes they were targeted by scammers to file a complaint online or call the Bureau of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555.
People can verify a contractor’s registration online or by calling 1-888-520-6680.
In Pennsylvania, home improvement contractors are required to provide copies of complete contracts for free and provide disclosures — like contact information, a description of the work they plan to do and insurance information — in contracts. They must allow people customers to rescind home improvement contracts without penalty within three business days in most instances. They can’t take deposits of more than one-third the contract price, plus the cost of materials that have to be special ordered.
Sunday encouraged people to also request references, seek more than one bid for a job and check for complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau.
