BLAKELY, Pa. — A woman is dead after a fire in Lackawanna County.
The first alarm came in around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Blakely High Rise on Railroad Avenue.
The first firefighters on the scene found smoke and flames shooting from a third-floor apartment, and the resident of that apartment died.
The coroner identified the victim as 72-year-old Patricia Cox.
Firefighters from several communities were faced with the nightmare of getting 61 people out, many with mobility issues.
"We had heavy smoke, and there is a decent amount of damage on the third floor. The occupants are going to be relocated tonight and for a few days until county housing can come in and make repairs and get everybody back in," said Wilson Fire Company Chief Jason Leri.
They were taken to a nearby church to get out of the January cold.
Frances Frey was on the fifth floor.
"I heard a knocking on my door. 'You have to get out now, ma'am. There is a fire in the building.' and That's what he told me, go down the stairs."
"I'm just lost. I don't know what to do. Just sit here, wait, and pray to God she's all right," said Eleene Godino. "Oh, God, help her. I don't know what else to say. I wanted her to be OK."
Friends and fellow residents waited outside, hoping for the best until they heard the awful news.
The resident who died lived in an apartment designed for the handicapped.
The first firefighters called in assistance from surrounding communities to fight the fire in the five-story building.
"Some (residents) are mobile, some ambulated out. Ambulance, EMS helped us with stair chairs. We got the residents out of the building," Chief Leri said.
Firefighters and other first responders had something else going for them: The alarm system worked.
"When a fire does erupt, the things in our ceiling are so loud, you can't help but get up, and you grab whatever you can, get your keys, and you go," Godino said.
Residents were taken to Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, a short distance away from the highrise. The Red Cross was here to help. It was a place to get out of the cold. Most residents escaped the burning building with little more than their night clothes.
Back at the highrise, thoughts turned to the one resident who didn't make it out.
"She was very nice, very nice," Marie Acker said. "We're going to miss her."
No other residents were hurt. No firefighters were hurt.
The Lackawanna County Housing Authority owns the building. A county spokesperson told us that most of the building's residents have been allowed to return.
The two apartments that have the heaviest damage will be renovated.
A state police fire marshal is investigating.
The fire chief says it does not appear to be suspicious.
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