Woman recalls being trapped in fire, good Samaritan jumps in to help her escape
Firefighters worked for several hours to battle a fire with heavy flames at a Verona building that houses four apartments Thursday night.
By Yazmin Rodriguez
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VERONA, Pennsylvania (WTAE) — Firefighters worked for several hours to battle a fire with heavy flames at a Verona building that houses four apartments Thursday night.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 video showed flames coming through the roof of the home on Center Avenue near 1st Street.
Mary Jo Martino said she was on her way out to take her two dogs for a walk at about 4:30 p.m. She got to the top of the stairs, and black smoke began to pour out from the bottom of her front door.
“I opened up the window in my living room, and I just yelled for help. A stranger came in and picked up my big dog, and I picked up my little dog and he got us out,” Martino said.
That stranger was Erik Kust.
“I’m just glad I was in the right spot at the right time,” Kust said.
Kust was coming home when he saw the heavy, black smoke and jumped into action.
“I started banging on the doors to make sure they were all out. I heard, ‘Help, I need help,’ and it was coming from the second floor. I yelled back, ‘I’m coming,'” Kust said.
Martino told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that the fire began in the basement, where storage and laundry units are housed. It quickly spread to both the middle and top floors of the apartment.
“Smoke just poured in. It happened so fast. I thought that we were dying. I thought that was it,” Martino said.
Everyone was able to escape the fire, and no injuries were reported. As for the apartment, it seemed to be a total loss.
“It’s devastation; it’s totally devastating,” Martino said.
Kust says he doesn’t want to be seen as a hero, but rather just a good neighbor.
“I couldn’t stand back and let someone be in trouble or a situation where they’d be hurt. I wanted to do what I want other people to do for me if it was my situation,” Kust said.
The Red Cross and the Salvation Army were also called to the scene to assist the people displaced by the fire. The fire marshal also arrived at around 8:30 p.m.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
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