Woman Dies After Scott Township Apartment Fire

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SCOTT TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- A woman has died after an apartment fire in Scott Township on Friday night that also killed her dog.

According to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner, 66-year-old Ellen M. Brownlee was pronounced dead at 10:18 p.m. Friday.

Firefighters were called to an apartment building in the 600 block of Robinwood Drive just before 6:30 p.m.

Flames shot out of the window of a unit in the Jamestown Condos while neighbors just two doors away watched in disbelief.

"Whenever the police first got here, they opened up the front door and smoke came out, so they couldn't even go in right away," neighbor Dana Kozel said. "They had to wait until the fire department got here because the smoke was so heavy, and then when the fire department got there, they broke down the main window and a gust of flames came out."

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"It just got progressively and progressively worse. When the firemen showed up, it just got blacker and blacker smoke," neighbor Scott Pinney said, "and then about five minutes or so later, we just started seeing flames and then they busted the window, and it kept getting worse and worse until they contained it at this point."

Brownlee was rescued from inside the apartment and transported to a local hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

Crews were unable to rescue her dog, who was found dead inside Brownlee's apartment.

The fire was contained to one unit, but there was smoke and water damage to other units.

Gas had to be shut off in the 15 neighboring units in the same building, so residents had to find another place to stay for the night.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Allegheny County Fire Marshals are investigating.