The investigation of spontaneous heating fires can be challenging and come with a unique set of circumstances due to many factors; evidence is consumed, a site is left with little or no evidentiary material, or collected evidence sent for laboratory analysis does not show the presence of chemical residues. Additionally, burn patterns from such fires can be difficult to interpret.

A downtown Pittsburgh bar won a state court ruling that compels its insurance company to cover pandemic-related losses, scoring a rare business win over their insurers on Covid coverage.

Grant Street Tavern, owned by MacMiles LLC, had an all-risk policy from Erie Insurance Exchange covering "direct physical 'loss' of or damage to Covered Property," according to a ruling issued Tuesday by Judge Christine Ward of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.