About 100 people had to be evacuated after a fire was intentionally set at a 12-story apartment building in North Braddock, police said.
Authorities said the blaze started at about 8 a.m. Monday at the General Braddock Towers on Sixth Street.
Many residents were still sleeping when fire alarms went off, but one resident pounded on doors to wake others up, authorities said.
"We had heavy smoke and fire shooting from the fifth-floor window on side one," said North Braddock Fire Capt. Anthony Rydzak.
According to some residents, the smoke was so thick, they could barely see to get out of the burning building.
"The smoke just billowed in, black smoke billowed in," said seventh-floor resident Fanny Law. "I ran and got wet cloths and took them to some older people and told them to put them over their face so that they wouldn't get smoke inhalation."
"There was people stuck on 501," said resident Arlene Turner. "It was so smoky. They couldn't even find the door."
"The maintenance man was on his hands and knees going around banging on everybody's door, saying, 'Get to the stairwell,'" said resident Ricky Roussaw.
Six more companies were called in to fight the blaze, said Rydzak.
Port Authority buses were brought to the scene to keep residents and their pets warm while crews fought the blaze.
Police arrested Charles McNeil, one of the building's residents, in connection with the blaze. They said he set fire to a mattress.
McNeil is charged with arson, causing a catastrophe, criminal mischief and reckless endangerment.
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