Pittsburgh Firefighters Rescue Dozens From Building Fire

March 25--Pittsburgh firefighters used ladders to rescue about two dozen people from a burning apartment building in Garfield on Monday morning, the fire chief said.

"I opened the front door and there was black smoke billowing into my apartment," said Mike Dodds, 28. "I was trapped. I couldn't get out."

Firefighters took ladders window-to-window of the three-story building on North Negley Avenue to help people escape.

"I'm terrified of heights," Dodds said. "I had to put myself out there and take the risk."

The fire, which was reported about 7:10 a.m., began in a stairwell and trapped several people in their apartments, Fire Chief Darryl Jones said.

"I thought I was going to have to jump," said Everette Middlebrook, 21, who was visiting family in a third-floor apartment. "The only way out was the window. When I saw the ladder, I felt relieved."

Paramedics hospitalized four people with smoke inhalation and treated several others.

"This could've been a tragedy of enormous proportion," Jones said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. It's not clear how many people will be displaced but Lauren Ashley, spokeswoman for the Red Cross, said that agency was assisting five adults and one child with clothing, food and shelter needs.

Margaret Harding is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-380-8519 or [email protected].

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