On October 4, 1877, McKeesport suffered a major fire when the Enterprise Foundry and Car Shop at Fifth Avenue and Market Street caught alight.

The first organized department was created by the borough in 1885 by hiring one man responsible for maintaining a hose reel and a hook and ladder.

The first officially recorded fire occurred on December 9, 1887, at the City Flour Mill on Jerome Street and caused an estimated $60,000 in damage.

On May 21, 1976, a fire developed on the roof of the Famous Department Store, believed to be caused by workers using cutting torches.

The initial flames on the roof were spotted by Fire Chief David Fowler from his office in the nearby Municipal Building.

Due to strong winds and holes cut in the roof which served as chimneys, the building was engulfed within four minutes and the fire subsequently spread over a two-block radius, destroying an Elks lodge, school, cinema, theater, stores and a restaurant and damaging a number of other businesses.

[13][14] In 1981, the fire department adopted the present system of platoons and rotation, allowing a reduction in the number of firefighters.

The apparatus was deemed a total loss and sold to a heavy equipment rebuilding company where it was refurbished to modern standards.

The apparatus was repurchased by the department a few year later after it failed to sell in online auctions and the price was reduced.