Neighbor, police rush into burning apartment building

ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. — Neighbors and police officers rushed into a burning two-story apartment building Tuesday morning in Ellwood City, worried that someone was trapped inside.

Authorities said the fire was reported just after 10 a.m. Tuesday in the basement of a building on Wayne Avenue that has several apartments.

Mark McRady told Channel 11's Amy Marcinkiewicz that he knew he had to help when he saw the flames.

"I looked out the window and saw all kinds of smoke," McRady said. "I called 911, then I started kicking on the door and kicked it in because I knew a guy lived in the basement."

Firefighters couldn't get into the building at first because of a gas leak, but officials said the gas was turned off and crews were able to get inside and extinguish the flames.

"We were relieved to find out no one was inside," Ellwood City Fire Chief Rick Meyers said.

Three apartments were destroyed by the blaze, but no injuries were reported.

WPXI