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Crews Investigating Cause Of Wash. Co. Apartment Building Fire

ROSCOE (KDKA) - An apartment building filled with smoke and some residents went door-to-door to make sure their neighbors escaped an early morning fire in Washington County.

According to officials at the scene, the fire started around 4:30 a.m. in the 600-block of Furlong Avenue.

"I don't even know what happened, let alone the damage because of it," Bethann Wilson said.

The fire believed to have started between the first and second floors, which forced the tenants out of the 22-unit building.

Many tried helping one another, despite thick smoke filling up the hallways.

"I started banging on doors, to make sure people were getting out or at least awake," Roger Koskoski said.

"I went down the hall and there was another girl and we couldn't get out the one door, so we ended up going out the fire escape on the third floor," Wilson said.

All of the tenants made it out of the building safely and there are no injuries reported between the tenants or the firefighters.

As for the building, there was extensive water and fire damage in several apartments as well as smoke throughout the building.

Just as relief was setting in that everyone was safe, firefighters brought out several cats and two dogs who had been trapped. One of the dogs wouldn't survive.

The Red Cross was on the scene to help some of the displaced families.

State police are conducting the investigation and said a cause has not been determined at this time.

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