Munhall Apartment Fire Leaves Dozens Searching For A New Home

MUNHALL (KDKA) -- A few scraps of clothing was all James Perris was able to grab from his apartment when he smelled smoke.

"T-shirts, jeans a coat."

Perris is staying in the Holiday Inn Express at the Waterfront thanks to the Red Cross. He's one of the 90-some people that were displaced after a fire broke out at Parkview Towers in Munhall around Friday morning.

"I left my suits, all my possessions up in the 5th floor and everything of value is in my room. I was only able to get what I could in a matter of minutes," he said.

In fact, one woman tried to get inside Parkview Towers Saturday night to grab her mail, but couldn't because the doors are locked.

Paul Casper said the building isn't supposed to open back up to its residents until the second week of January.

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"These poor people. There's 96 people where are they going? Some with families but some don't have resources nobody there to see them," Casper said.

Casper is another resident staying at the Holiday Inn Express. The Red Cross is helping 29 of the people that live in the apartment.

They say the rest are staying with family and friends. Most of the folks that live here are elderly or disabled.

Cindy Imbrogno stopped by the hotel to bring her friend Dorothy, some Irish stew.

"She seems to be comfortable here. Worried about her. Has a lot of pain. Need to have the right kind of chair," she said.

One man died in the fire and seven were injured.

Folks are trying keep their spirits high with the holidays right around the corner.

"It's depressing because its Christmas time and that should be the happiest time of the year, but maybe something good will come out of this."