Fire Destroys 2 Homes, Damages A Third In Donora
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DONORA (KDKA) -- An intense fire destroyed two homes and damaged a third overnight in Donora, Washington County.
The blaze started around 1 a.m. in one home along Thompson Avenue, and then spread to two neighboring homes.
The smoke was so thick at times, the firefighters and their trucks could barely be seen.
Everyone was able to get out from all of the homes safely, but the flames gutted two of the houses and badly damaged the third.
Officials believe the fire may have started at the back of the home at 972 Thompson Avenue, then spread to the houses on either side.
One of those houses belongs to Angie Santo.
"I probably woke up about 3 a.m., we keep the TV on, I kind of smelled smoke, went out in the hallway, looked around, no smoke in the house. When I went back in the bedroom, it was really strong, heard crackling, looked out the back of the house and saw the neighbor's porch engulfed in flames. I woke up my wife and called 911 and they told us to get out of the house," said Santo.
The flames startled neighbors in the middle of the night.
"I was awakened to my neighbor's crying and screaming, and I thought my other two neighbors had just gotten into a fight until I saw the orange from the back alley," said one person who lives nearby. "So I ran downstairs to see if my parents were outside cause they usual are whenever there is screaming and crying, but they were asleep, so I woke them up and they ran outside to check out everyone."
One homeowner had five cats, three of them were found by firefighters. They believe the others just took off.
"I woke up, I smelled smoke, I went downstairs, smells a little bit down there, went down to my basement, came back, opened up the back door and I could see the back of their house was on fire. I just couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe this was happening," the woman said.
The temperature was five degrees, but firefighters - from as many as five departments - kept moving.
Although investigators know where the fire started, what caused it is still undetermined.
No injuries were reported.
