Local

Only on 11: We get action for 93-year-old woman living next to condemned house

NORTH BRADDOCK, Pa. — Channel 11’s Vince Sims is working on getting action for a 93-year-old woman who’s afraid the condemned house next to hers is putting her in danger.

Viola Murthy and her family said the home next to her Benton Street house in North Braddock has been condemned, but not torn down.

According to the family, a portion of the house collapsed on Saturday, and other parts appear to be dangling and close to collapsing.

“I’m scared that mess is going to fall down and I’ll get locked up in there,” Murphy said.

Sims reported that while he was at the scene investigating, a contractor was there to give the borough an estimate.

The contractor told Sims that, in his professional opinion, the situation is dangerous and urgent.

“I’m just hoping they hurry up and do something about it because it’s on its way down,” Murphy said.

Murphy’s granddaughter, LaTanya Murphy, said she considers this a life-threatening situation.

“If it lands over on this house, it’s going to kill all of us in here. Everyone in there is going to be dead. They need to come tear this down. It doesn’t make sense,” LaTanya Murphy said.

LaTanya Murphy said she understands there are other abandoned properties in the borough, but sees this one as critical.

“My grandmother lives next door to an abandoned house. That’s what really is the problem. If she didn’t live here, it wouldn’t matter to me. But somebody lives here,” LaTanya Murphy said.

The borough code enforcement director told Sims they’re in the process of trying to get emergency funding from the county to tear the home down.

He said it could take anywhere from a week to a month for that to happen.