Dec 20, 2014 4 min read

Mary Crawford had just been back home in her fifth floor apartment at Washington Arbors on North College Street for about 10 minutes when the fire alarm sounded.

Minutes later, she along with her 6-year-old and 9-year-old grandsons, and dozens of residents were being evacuated from the nine-story building and the deadly fire that had burned inside one of the apartments on her floor.

James W. Springer, 66, 154 N. College, was identified by Washington County Coroner Tim Warco as the resident killed in Friday night’s fire at high-rise apartment building. Warco said Springer was pronounced dead in the emergency room of Washington Hospital at 9:40 p.m., less than an hour after the fire was reported. An autopsy will be done to determine the cause and manner of death.

City fire Chief Linn Brookman said Springer was found on the floor just inside of the door of his apartment. The fire started inside Springer’s apartment at No. 509. Brookman believes the cause of the fire was careless smoking. The chief said there was an oxygen machine in Springer’s apartment and a sign on the door that said no smoking.

Brookman said police and firefighters performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Springer as they carried him down the stairs to the waiting ambulance. The fire was likely burning for some time before the smoke spilled from the apartment into the hall, triggering the alarm. Brookman said the room was gutted.

Firefighters from the city along with city police and members of the North Strabane and Peters Township rapid intervention team rescued about 90 residents from the nine-story building.

Brookman said many residents who lived on the upper floors were carried out on the backs of their rescuers.

“They were going floor to floor getting people out,” the chief said. “The police, firefighters and ambulance crews did an excellent job getting everyone out.”

Brookman said the rapid intervention team usually does not become actively involved at a scene, but said they were put to work not only helping to rescue residents but ventilate the building.

Crawford said she did not immediately respond to the alarm.

“I always wait because it is usually a false alarm,” Crawford explained Saturday.

But when they opened the door, they found the hall filled with heavy black smoke. Crawford said it was so dark, she could not see, but said one man was trying to help the neighbor where the fire started.

“I shut the door and grabbed some wet rags,” Crawford said.

She and her two grandson then left the apartment. Crawford was pounding on doors on her floor. As they went down the stairwell on their way out of the building, Crawford said she stopped on every floor, yelling fire and pounding on doors.

Brookman said the alarm came into the fire station at 8:50 p.m. Shortly after, 911 started getting numerous calls of heavy smoke. Brookman said the hallways of the building are equipped with fire alarms but there are no smoke detectors inside the apartments unless put up by the residents. Brookman said he can not require smoke detectors in the apartments because the building is older and grandfathered in before new regulations were passed.

Crews from a restoration company were at work pulling up carpeting on the fifth floor and cleaning other areas of the apartment. Crawford said they are being put up at a South Strabane Township motel by the American Red Cross until Tuesday, when they were told they should be able to return to their apartments. American Red Cross also provided a $50 food voucher.

“I have a big family who is able to help,” Crawford said. “I am just glad everyone else got out. It cold have been worse.”