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Penn Hills woman died of smoke inhalation, medical examiner says

PENN HILLS, Pa. — A woman was found dead Friday in her Penn Hills home after a fire, officials said.

Rita Ryan, 67, died of smoke inhalation, the Allegheny County medical examiner said Saturday.

Ryan’s husband told investigators that he returned to the home in the 2500 block of School Street around 1 p.m. and discovered the fire. Police said Ryan’s husband called 911 to report the fire, telling dispatchers that he pulled his wife out, but that she was dead.

Officials said the fire appeared to have started in the basement. The cause remains under investigation, but crime scene investigators said they do not believe the fire is suspicious.

"There was significant damage to the basement. It was all contained. The doors were all closed, so it kept the fire in the basement isolated," Penn Hills Fire Department Assistant Chief David Zacchia said.

Fire crews said the blaze caused a pipe to burst, helping to douse the flames in the basement.

Family members said Ryan had some health problems and may have been on oxygen. In addition to her husband, she is survived by an adult son and a grandchild.

The Allegheny County fire marshal and crime scene investigators are assisting Penn Hills officials to determine the cause of the fire. A dog at the scene did not detect any accelerants.