Woman escapes before flames destroy Shaler Township home

SHALER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Firefighters were called to battle a fire at a home in Shaler Township Wednesday.

Officials said the blaze started just before 8 a.m. at a home on Shaler Avenue. Channel 11's Dave Bondy reported that one person inside of the home was able to safely escape.

Channel 11 News was there as crews worked to extinguish flames that could be seen shooting from the house. At one point, the flames were so intense that firefighters were forced out of the home.

Neighbors said they will do whatever is needed to help the family after losing everything in the blaze. Neighbor Grace Miller said the woman inside at the time of the fire was getting ready for work when the flames erupted.

"She heard a 'pop' and she thought it was something in the attic," Miller said.

Throughout the morning family members of the victims arrived to watch as the house burned. Miller said the owner of house built it with his own hands and considered it his prize possession.

"It will come back. They are good people and have a lot of good neighbors and a lot of good family," Miller said. "The neighbors will all pitch in. They won't have to worry about a thing."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

WPXI