Randy Handel said a food-court blaze that hospitalized a man Friday at the Three Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh’s Cultural District started with “a pop, just a large ‘pop.’”

A festival vendor for more than 15 years, Handel heard the pop from a few dozen yards away, then said the air filled with the sound of gas squealing from what officials called an “over-pressurized propane tank.”

Then, a rush of panic as flames shot an estimated 50 feet above the tent.

“The next thing I know, there’s people going, ‘Run! Run!,’ which I didn’t do because I’m an idiot,” said Handel, 58, who arrived in Pittsburgh on Thursday from his Gainesville, Fla. home.

“I’m amazed that only one person got burned.”

A cooking fire may have caused a propane tank to explode at the festival’s food court shortly after 5:15 p.m. Friday, public safety spokeswoman Emily Bourne said.

About an hour or so later, festival-goers returned to browse nearby as officials cleaned up the burned remains of the tent. An adjoining stand offered fresh pepperoni rolls.

A 28-year-old man working in the tent, who first responders did not name, suffered second-degree burns to his arms and legs, covering about 32% to 37% of his body, Bourne said.

Fire breaks out at arts festival food tent in Downtoen @Pittsburgh. Only one man injured. @TribLIVE video courtesy of jewelry artist and vendor Kathryn Riechert. pic.twitter.com/tMU6flcirO

— Justin Vellucci (@JVTheTrib) May 31, 2024

The victim was taken to UPMC Mercy hospital’s burn unit, where he was listed in stable condition Friday evening.

Bourne said the man was speaking to hospital staff.

Pittsburgh police blocked off Fort Duquesne Boulevard between Seventh and Eighth streets while investigators were at the scene. It reopened at about 6:40 p.m.

“All things considered, we’re happy with how it went,” Pittsburgh Public Safety Director Lee Schmidt said as he stood near the charred tent. “Everything at the arts festival is back up and running.”

The free art and music festival includes multiple stages, gallery exhibitions, public art installations and activities, as well as an artist market. White tents ran for 15 blocks; organizers shut down the Andy Warhol Bridge to accommodate all of the vendors and foot traffic.

Serena Sloane said she didn’t think much of the crowd was aware an emergency was unfolding.

After crowds started flowing past the food court, the Bloomfield-based clothing designer focused instead on seeing wares that rows of vendors from across the nation were offering.

“I’ve always been eccentric, just different — I like to stand out, I have since I was a kid,” said Sloane, 32, with a smile, as her son, 3, and daughter, 7, skipped from booth to booth.

“I like to look,” Sloane said. “And maybe some day I can set up some of my stuff here.”

Another arts festival staple, jewelry artist Kathryn Riechert, started packing up her booth as festival volunteers tried to relay the most recent updates to the crowd.

The Savannah, Ga.-based artist, who’s been coming to the Pittsburgh festival for several years, was manning her booth with friend Scott Whitten when the flames erupted just across the narrow road.

“It was sort of like a jet-engine fire shooting through the top of the tent,” said Whitten, 54, also of Savannah, Ga.

Around 6 p.m., Riechert started piecing together and packing up her delicate sterling silver and glass enamel pieces.

She said she planned to re-open Saturday morning in the same spot — Fort Duquesne Boulevard’s booth #58, between Seventh and Eighth streets.

“It’s an excellent show every year and there’s an excellent fan base,” said Riechert, 43. “We’ll come back again.”

The Handels — Randy and his wife Kana, a Tokyo native who’s been painting for some 40 years — also plan to keep coming. They said the Pittsburgh arts community holds a special place in their heart.

“I come back because I like Pittsburgh, we both like Pittsburgh — and we both like Pittsburgh people,” said Kana Handel, 64, who immigrated from Japan to the U.S. 31 years ago.

“I like that the arts culture is growing in Pittsburgh.”

---

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)

---