Family Of Eleven Displaced In Rankin Fire
RANKIN (KDKA) -- Greta Price stood by watching, as thick smoke filled the Rankin sky. Flames could be seen from the rooftop as the smoke cleared in the air.
"A lot of memories gone," said Greta Price. "We grew up there, me and my brothers."
The home on 5th Avenue has been in the family for sixty-plus years.
Price's brother now lives there with his family, that is, he did before the fire Thursday. She said the family was made up of five adults and six children. She has no idea how the fire started.
"My sister-in-law was sitting in the kitchen and said she smelled smoke. My brother was upstairs and he came downstairs and it was filled with smoke and both ran upstairs to get everyone out on second floor," said Price.
"The fire was in the roof. The floor caved in on second floor so we couldn't get in to make an attack on the inside but we were able to do it from the outside," said River's Edge VFD Public Information Officer Pat Green.
The fire turned into three alarms. It didn't want to stop burning, and the wind didn't help.
However, firefighters worked fast, despite the hot temperatures.
"A lot of times it's just getting to it. If you're able to get in the building and get to the fire. if you have to do it from the outside it's all about positioning," said Green.
This home wasn't just filled with people. It was also filled with animals.
"They got the dogs out. They had a rooster and two hens and I seen them running around on the grounds. So everybody and everything is safe," said Price.
The family will be staying with relatives in the area until they get back on their feet.
