Over 100 people displaced from senior high-rise after transformer fire in Penn Hills

PENN HILLS, Pa. — More than 100 people were forced out of their homes after a transformer fire knocked out power to their senior high-rise in Penn Hills on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Alice Hughes was one of the seniors who was evacuated from her apartment at Duff Manor and brought to the Senior Center a couple of blocks away. She said she was outside when she saw the flames.

“I was sitting on the porch, and I heard the noise, a popping. So, I went outside, and I seen smoke coming from the pole,” Hughes said. “When it went higher, and it popped really loud, I was afraid. I said, ‘I’m going in the house.’”

Part of Duff Road was littered with live wires as Duquesne Light crews worked to shut the power off to the high-rise building leaving it without any A/C.

“I was looking out the window and I was like, ‘Oh my God. Look at all them wires handing down from the trees, from the pole, down on the street, down on the sidewalk. It was terrible,” said Edith Banks, who moved into the building about eight months ago.

Bill Jeffcoat, the fire chief of the Penn Hills No.7 Fire Department, said the lines that were on fire ran directly to Duff Manor. Firefighters and neighboring first responders rushed to put out the flames and evacuate every single person inside.

“There’s no water. There’s no power. There’s no electric,” Jeffcoat said. “This is their home, we understand that. This is where they live. This is where they reside, but it’s not safe for them to be here. Elevated temperatures outside as well as inside, no water and so forth, it’s just not safe for them.”

First responders helped several people with mobility issues get down the stairs using a special chair. Banks said she was helped down from her sixth-floor apartment.

“I came out on my balcony, and I was like, ‘Please help me. Please. Please. Please. Please help me.’ I’m screaming,” she said.

It could be at least 24 to 36 hours before electricity and water are restored to the apartment building.

About 50 of the displaced seniors are staying with family while the other half plan to spend the night at a nearby senior citizen center.

Banks is planning on spending the night at the senior center.

“I packed my bag,” said Banks. “I got my change of clothes and everything.”

Banks is thankful the senior center opened its doors and grateful to the first responders.

“I thank everybody that participated in getting us seniors out the building and down the steps to safety,” Banks said. “I commend them, and I thank God for them that they all came together. That was a wonderful thing. We’re all safe.”

Fire Chief Jeffcoat said the apartment building does have a generator that was supposed to kick in when the power went out, but it didn’t work because it wasn’t up to code.

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