Vanessa Leo, 23, of Plains Township, said she was leaving the 11th floor office of Attorney Bernard Kotulak in the PNC Bank Building at the corner of West Market and North Franklin streets just before 6 p.m. when the lights began flickering. The power and phone lines soon went out and the elevators were inoperable.
The building was empty except for Leo and Kotulak due to the Memorial Day holiday.
Leo said she smelled smoke at the elevators and, unable to exit the building through an emergency exit blocked from the outside by a ash tray/trash can, called 911 on her cell phone. Kotulak apparently remained on the 11th floor.
Leo said she couldn't escape through a front door because the emergency door leading from the stairwell to the foyer was locked by deadbolt
Leo said a 911 dispatcher remained on the phone with her and gave her instructions as firefighters entered the building. Firefighters then located Leo and Kotulak and escorted them from the structure.
Wilkes-Barre Fire Department Capt. Robert Fannon said a fire broke out in an electrical panel in the basement and was quickly extinguished by crews. The situation was under control by about 6:30 p.m. and no one was injured, Shannon said.
Shannon said he didn't see the doors Leo said were locked and blocked, but he said stairwells that serve as fire exits should not have locked doors.
Leo speculated that a security door was locked because the owners "had problems with bums in the building."
"It was scary. Thank God for the 911 dispatcher. He stayed on the phone with me the whole time," Leo said.
