Firefighters Pull Children From Pennsylvania Fire

MCKEESPORT, Pa. --

Sky 4 captured firefighters carrying children down a ladder, away from a fast-moving fire in an apartment building in McKeesport, Washington County early Friday morning.

WTAE Channel 4 Action News reported that the fire ignited at about 6 a.m. at a multiple-story apartment at Sixth Avenue and Coursin Street, about three blocks away from Lysle Boulevard. The building was engulfed in flames for as long as a half-hour.

WTAE Channel 4's Ari Hait reported from the scene that firefighters carried hoses over their backs up a steep hill to get to the building from four fire trucks on the street below.

Hait reported a man handed a child from inside the building to a firefighter on the ladder. The firefighter then carried the child down the ladder, followed by others who climbed down themselves.

"The floor broke out from under us, the window busted. It was real crazy and we got out in the nick of time," the man told Action News. "It didn't take them real long for them to get us out, (the firefighters) did a real good job."

Sky 4 video showed a firefighter carrying a small child from the building, who was followed by two other children and others. The exclusive video showed firefighters going from window to window, breaking glass to check for people inside.

"If we didn't get out of there, we probably would have went down," the witness told Action News.

Thick, heavy black smoke was seen emanating high into the sky from the building. At about 6:35 a.m., flames burst from a window and a portion of the building's roof collapsed, Sky 4 reported.

WTAE Channel 4's Demetrius Ivory indicated that winds in the area are moving toward the north. Weather Watch 4 technology indicated that visibility in the West Mifflin area was down to 6 miles, compared to 10 miles in the surrounding area.

It was not immediately known as to whether anyone was injured.

Watch WTAE Channel 4 Action News for LIVE updates from Sky 4 and refresh ThePittsburghChannel.com often.