EAST PITTSBURGH, Pa. — A fire broke out at an East Pittsburgh Home on Tuesday afternoon, and neighbors jumped in to help.
A quick reaction from Nachalin Ramsey’s young children helped the family and their dog move fast to get out of the house.
“My daughter said, ‘Mom there’s a fire going on upstairs,’” Ramsey said. “We could’ve been dead. We could’ve been dead.”
Ramsey said her 8-year-old son was upstairs in his sister’s room playing video games when he suddenly heard a loud pop, then saw flames crawling up the wall. The mother and her older daughter ran upstairs toward the commotion.
“We seen the black smoke, so when we seen the black smoke, we all ran out the back door,” Ramsey said. “My other daughter ran out the front door.”
Several fire companies rushed to the home on Bessemer Avenue just after 4 p.m. They got there within minutes and cut power to the street.
“We have enough manpower, so there’s not any real major challenges,” said Pat Green, the public information officer for the Rivers Edge Fire Department. “Utilities came out and shut everything down.”
Fire officials said the flames spread next door, where two senior citizens live. Those women were able to get out thanks to a quick-thinking neighbor.
A man ran over and knocked on their door, alerting them to the fire. Then, he helped them get outside and down the steep steps.
“The community as a whole just kind of all poured in, unexpectedly,” Ramsey said. “We’re not really tightknit, but to see them come when there’s something going on to help out everybody, it made me feel good to know this is the kind of community I’m living in.”
The mother of four said she lost everything upstairs where the flames broke out, but is thankful her family and next-door neighbors are safe.
“I’m thankful to God that we got out of there,” said Ramsey.
Fire officials said no one was hurt in the fire. The cause is under investigation. Firefighters said the home is not livable at this time.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW