1 Dead, Several Injured In Waynesburg High-Rise Blaze

WAYNESBURG, Pa.,None — One woman was killed and several others injured Thursday morning in a fire at a Waynesburg, Greene County, apartment complex.

RAW VIDEO: Waynesburg High-Rise Fire VIDEO: 1 Dead, Several Injured In Waynesburg High-Rise Blaze

Authorities said Patricia Eddy, 61, lived in the third-floor apartment where the fire began shortly before 7 a.m. at the Avalon Court apartments along East Greene Street. Her name and age have not been released.

The cause of the fire had not been determined as of Friday afternoon, but Waynesburg police said there was nothing to indicate it was suspicious.

Waynesburg Fire Chief Jeff Marshall said about a dozen residents had to be rescued.

"Thank gosh nobody jumped," said Marshall. "We were able to get to them before anyone needed to. It's panic. There was fire coming out, and there were still 10 to 12 other rooms on that floor. It was a pretty hectic half-hour."

One resident who had to be rescued was James Blake, a paraplegic who lives on the first floor.

"I can't get out of bed by myself," he said, adding that he needs help getting dressed and into his wheelchair every morning.

He sat helpless in bed Thursday morning as the fire raged above him.

"I was stuck in there. No one could get in my room," he said.

Fortunately, there was no smoke or flames on the first floor, he said. But Linda Weaver, his daily caregiver who has a key to his apartment, was not allowed inside.

"It's scary," she said. "Even I was shaking when they wouldn't let me in."

Firefighters were able to get into his apartment and get Blake to safety.

"They picked me up and put me in my wheelchair so I could come out," he said.

"(I) called 911," said victim Elizabeth Kennedy. "When I came out, I knew the elevator wasn't working. The fire was literally coming out her door, because her husband had already come out. He was sitting in the hallway frantically yelling, 'Patty's still in there.'"

Of the other victims, one person had to be flown to UPMC Mercy Hospital for burn injuries. The names of those victims have not been released.

The Greene County Housing Authority operates the apartments. There are 40 units in the building, 38 of which were occupied, authorities said.

• E-Mail Newsletter: Get The Latest News Sent To Your E-Mail! • Mobile: Get WPXI Headlines On Your Phone, iPhone, More • RSS: Add Us To Your Page!

WPXI