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Fire Marshal, Firefighters Busy As 2014 Winds Down

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Three fires Wednesday in the Pittsburgh area left an elderly woman dead, a man injured, and heavy damage to several homes.

In Wilkins Township, on Wednesday evening, fire destroyed a two-story house and sent the person inside to the hospital with non-life threatening burns.

Earlier in the afternoon, two adjacent homes were damaged by fire in the 7700-block of Baxter Street in the city's Homewood section.

Omar McKenzie, who lives next door, was driving in the area when he saw the smoke.

"I called 911, and grabbed my outside garden hose, and tried to do something," McKenzie said. "But it wasn't very much. "

The Red Cross and Salvation Army are helping four people temporarily find shelter for the night.

And in Stanton Heights, fire broke out at a home in the 200-block of Schenley Manor Drive, claiming the life of a 70-year-old woman.

Neighbors identify her as Catherine Ricketts.

Officials say was asleep in a rear bedroom when the fire broke out. Her 23-year-old daughter and young granddaughter got out of the house safely.

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