PITTSBURGH — Crews rushed in to save several residents after their apartment building filled with smoke and flames overnight in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood.
Channel 11's Jennifer Tomazic has learned that the initial call came in just before 2 a.m. Wednesday for shots fired.
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But when police got to the scene at the Hazelwood Towers on Tecumseh Street, they spotted smoke coming from the building.
Firefighters were immediately called out and they began working.
Initial reports indicate a fire started on the first floor of the apartment building.
Officials at the scene told Tomazic that two people were taken to area hospitals. Their names and conditions haven’t been released.
The same highrise caught fire over the weekend.
Carol O’Malley was rushed to the hospital. Her daughter told Tomazic that she’s in stable condition, but still can’t breathe on her own.
The daughter said the fire marshal believes her mother was smoking with her oxygen on, and that’s what caused the fire.
The daughter disputes that, saying her mother barely has any burns.
The cause of Wednesday morning’s fire remains under investigation.
“I can’t sleep at night. I feel fear of sleeping at night,” Said Elizabeth Fopma.
When asked what could be done to prevent more incidents like this, Mary Schwartz said, “The no smoking policy. Get more people to come out here and smoke. And maybe have some fire drills.”
A woman from the company that owns Hazelwood Towers told Tomazic there will be a meeting Wednesday with residents to talk about fire prevention.
This is in conjunction with the Red Cross.
She says they will work with the residents to make it smoke free.
There are smoke detectors in all units and common areas, and they are encouraging residents not to remove them.
She says they are upping their inspection of the detectors to four times per year, instead of two.