A man died after fire broke out Monday in his apartment in Port Vue.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office said late Monday that the victim, whose name was not released, was 59 years old.
The blaze began about 10:15 a.m. in the WestWood Apartments, an eight-unit building at 305 San Juan Drive, police Lt. David Petruski said.
He was the first to arrive on the scene and found the fire concentrated in a first-floor apartment. A woman stood on the front porch screaming that her brother was inside.
Lt. Petruski pushed his way into the apartment building to try to rescue the man but was turned back by black smoke and thick flames.
“I only got a few feet in,” he said. “The smoke was already black and billowing.”
As he retreated, he heard two loud noises that he believes were the man’s oxygen tanks exploding. Several windows were blown out, he said.
“It got very hot in there very quickly,” he said.
The unidentified victim lived in the apartment with his sister, Lt. Petruski said.
Port Vue firefighters used a ladder to rescue two people from a second-floor apartment, Lt. Petruski said.
“We didn’t know who was in the other apartments until they were sticking their heads out the window trying to breathe,” he said.
Both residents were taken to area hospitals to be treated for smoke inhalation.
It took firefighters about 40 minutes to put the fire out, Lt. Petruski said.
The residents of all eight apartments were evacuated and the building was closed. Most residents planned to stay with family, he said. The Red Cross and Salvation Army were also providing aid.
The Allegheny County fire marshal’s office is investigating.
The WestWood Apartments are managed by Newbury Realty Group. An owner declined to comment Monday afternoon.
Shelly Bradbury: sbradbury@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1999 or on Twitter @ShellyBradbury.
First Published: October 30, 2017, 5:57 p.m.