Fire inside the closed Century III Mall

[TheFugitive]

Several fire departments responded to a smoky fire inside the abandoned Century III Mall in West Mifflin, PA yesterday.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fire-breaks-out-inside-abandoned-century-iii-mall/ar-AA19IJLP

My daughter lives near this mall and as the article indicates squatters and drug activity are becoming a problem there.  The infamous Dixie Square Mall in Illinois became a huge headache for that community until it was finally torn down.  Somebody needs to find a way to make this mall go away, and fast.

Shame as it was a heckuva place back in the day.

[TheFugitive]

I went past Century III the other day and since the fire it seems some moves have been made to better secure the place.

The ring road leading from PA Route 51 around the mall and up the hill to the Century Square development and Lebanon Church Road has been permanently closed.  The 2 turn lanes where you formerly turned to get to the mall from Route 51 have been blocked off.  The entrance to the road has been barricaded with large concrete barriers.

Apparently this was done to discourage transients, drug users, urban explorers and others from getting access to the mall.  It's an inconvenience for people who live in the area who have lost this shortcut from Route 51 to Lebanon Church, but in recent years the road had deteriorated and was in very bad shape due to potholes. The mall owners were doing nothing to maintain it and fewer and fewer people were using it as a result.

Honestly demolishing this rotting hulk needs to become a priority for the people in this area.

[TheFugitive]

Apparently the new measures to keep people out of Century III Mall aren't secure enough.

On Friday first responders were called in after a teenager fell through the roof.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/teen-injured-after-falling-through-century-iii-mall-roof/ar-AA1c9nUA

Authorities are stressing again that the mall is in a dilapidated and unsafe condition and urban explorers should stay away.

West Mifflin Borough has apparently seen enough.  They have scheduled a condemnation hearing with an eye towards forcing the demolition of the mall.

[TheFugitive]

Authorities in West Mifflin, PA are charging three people from Ohio with trespassing at Century III Mall after they posted urban explorer video they shot there online.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/other/century-iii-mall-extremely-dangerous-officials-warn/ar-AA1cN9n5

Efforts to keep people away from the mall ramped-up after a teenager was seriously injured from a fall through the roof earlier this month.  The mall faces a likely condemnation vote in West Mifflin council next month.

[TheFugitive]

A judge has fined Moonbeam Capital, the absentee owners of Century III, nearly a quarter million dollars for various building code violations.

https://www.pennlive.com/business/2023/07/owners-of-closed-pa-mall-fined-240k-over-its-dilapidated-condition-reports.html