Man runs into Midtown Towers to save people trapped in fire

PITTSBURGH — When the smoke cleared, only Channel 11 was there for an unexpected thank you.

Ricco Martello didn’t know anyone inside Midtown Towers, but saw smoke and flames and ran into the building Monday morning, and started banging on doors in hopes of waking people up and getting them out.

He even knocked on the door of the unit where the fire started.

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“I was banging on her door and the smoke was coming out of her door, so I was hoping no one was there,” Martello said.”

A woman was in there, and died in the fire.

Hours later, Channel 11 was with Ricco as he looked back up at the charred building, and reflected.

“I heard that she passed, so I feel like I could have done a little bit more,” Martello said.

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Even though to everyone else, especially Venus Whisenhunt, he’s a hero.

“I told him, ‘thank God you were there because one of the lives you saved was my stepmom,” Whisenhunt said.

Martello was one of several people who ran into the building on their own, and tried to rescue or alert them.

Cox Media Group