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Man Dies After Being Pulled From House Fire In City's Bluff Section

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A rowhouse fire in Pittsburgh's Bluff section Wednesday afternoon claimed the life of one man who became trapped inside.

The one-alarm fire broke out after 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Seneca Street and Forbes Avenue.

According to officials at the scene, three people were inside the home when the fire broke out. Two were able to escape safely.

According to Public Safety Department officials, those two roommates alerted firefighters to the other man still inside. Crews found the 77-year-old after entering the home.

"Family was home at the time of the fire. They managed to get out on their own and the third elderly gentleman was trapped upstairs," said Assistant Fire Chief Thomas Cook, of the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau. "Anytime you have a fire in what we call connected dwellings, the risk of the fire running between the dwelling units is extremely high compared to what we call detached homes where there's space between the homes."

The man was taken to UPMC Mercy Hospital in critical condition and pronounced dead just before 4:15 p.m. He was later identified as Jesse Truxell Jr.

Crews brought the fire under control by 4:15 p.m., and officials say the home is a total loss.

The neighboring residences to the right and left of the home are vacant. One of them was also damaged. The home connected on the far end was occupied at the time the fire started, but no one inside there was hurt.

There's no word yet on what sparked the blaze.

Officials are on scene investigating the cause. Building inspectors are also expected at the scene to determine the condition of the structure.

Stay with KDKA for the latest on this developing story.

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