Treacherous Icy Sidewalks Trap Carrick Residents In Homes

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CARRICK (KDKA) -- A woman in Carrick and her neighbors have been dealing with a real problem -- water from a rental property freezing on the sidewalk and making it next to impossible to leave their homes.

Several inches of ice, several feet wide on a sidewalk in Carrick has made Susan Maples feel helpless.

"I've had doctors appointments which I canceled. My friend died. I haven't been able to get to the funeral home," she said. "I'm stuck here in my house."

They put up signs warning people not to try walking on it.

"I had knee surgery not too long ago, and I won't even try [walking on the ice] 'cause I'll be on the sidewalk. I'll be down there," Maples said.

She's been trapped for more than a week and is extremely grateful for her neighbor's help.

"I love this lady. This lady's done so much for me, her and her family," Maples said. "No one else. No one else here cares."

That neighbor is Barbara Chapman.

"I fell this morning on the ice and had to crawl on my hands and knees to get to the street in order to make it to my car," she said.

They say the ice is from a neighboring rental property's downspout.

"Now the water's redirected onto my sidewalk and creating an ice skating rink, and it's very dangerous," Chapman said.

Maples says she's called everyone and has been unable to get any help.

"I've got to go to the grocery store. I don't have any milk," Maples said.

After KDKA placed a call to the property's management company, WJ Kellar, they sent over two guys from Bosetti Lawn Care to chip and scrape the ice away.

After some hard work, finally there's a safe way into the homes, and it's the end of a very long week for Susan Maples.

"It's been very upsetting. I've been in my house crying for days," she said. "I'm so grateful for you to be here."