Oakmont Bakery pumping out pastries with help from businesses after wreck damages building

Baking is back to full capacity at Oakmont Bakery after a vehicle crashed into the building late Friday. Several local companies made quick work of repairing damage — and local competitors offered use of their ovens.

“The owners of Bethel Bakery, Prantl’s Bakery and Pastries A-La-Carte reached out to offer us the use of their facilities if we needed them. That’s the kind of amazing people we have here in Pittsburgh,” owner Marc Serrao said Monday. “After seeing the damage done on Friday, I never thought we’d be back up and running so quickly.”

Serrao said he was able to resume production Saturday at Tristate Bakery Services in Middlesex while crews from Chernega Construction in Lower Burrell cleared the debris. Advanced Service Plumbing in Plum worked with Peoples Gas to install new lines and restore utility service, he said.

A Ford Expedition slammed through a brick wall of the kitchen area shortly before midnight Friday while 13 employees were in the building, according to authorities.

None of the workers was injured. The driver of the SUV was transported to the hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries.

Oakmont police Chief Michael Ford on Monday said the one-vehicle crash still is being investigated, but it does not appear the driver will face any charges.

Oakmont fire Chief Joe Flanick said the driver told emergency responders the brakes on his vehicle failed while he was traveling down Hulton Road.

“The proofing box (to prepare dough) was blown across the room and destroyed four minutes after one of the bakers was standing there working,” Serrao said. “I’m beyond thankful that none of our people were hurt.”

The damage to the building is extensive, he said, but he has not yet received an estimate from his insurance provider. He said replacing the proofing box would cost about $35,000.

Serrao said he was heartened by the offers of support from local businesses and grateful for the help to keep operations going. Super Bowl Sunday and Valentine’s Day are among the busiest days of the year, and “we didn’t take any orders on Saturday and Sunday because we didn’t know how long the disruption would be.”

He said some of the kitchen equipment needed only to be cleaned and checked before being used again, and other pieces will be sent out for repair.

He said arrangements will be made when construction begins on the damaged section of the building so there will not be a disruption of bakery operations.