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Firefighters rescue woman from Washington house fire

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Washington firefighters trek through a snowy front yard while responding Thursday morning to a house fire at 625 McKinley Ave.

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Washington firefighters drag hose lines through a snowy front yard, while responding Thursday morning to a house fire at 625 McKinley Ave.

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Washington Fire Chief Gerald Coleman assesses the snowy scene of a house fire at 625 McKinley Ave., Washington Thursday morning. 

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Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter

Firefighters from multiple companies responded Thursday morning to a house fire at 625 McKinley Ave.

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Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter

Firefighters responded to a house fire, at 625 McKinley Ave., Washington, for the report of a woman trapped inside. The woman was transported to UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh.

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Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter

Washington firefighters drag hose lines through a snowy front yard while responding Thursday morning to a house fire at 625 McKinley Ave.

Firefighters rescued a 70-year-old woman from a house fire in Washington Thursday morning.

Crews were dispatched just after 9 a.m. to 625 McKinley Ave., for a house on fire with a woman trapped in an upper level bedroom.

Washington fire Chief Gerald Coleman said the woman’s son and his wife were also in the house Thursday morning, but on a lower level. They were able to escape uninjured.

“They saw the smoke coming down the steps,” he said. “They tried to get to her.”

Coleman said the son and his wife called 911. Their identities were not provided Thursday morning.

Coleman said city police arrived on scene first and tried to enter the house, but heavy smoke conditions drove them back outside.

The woman’s condition is unknown, but Coleman said when crews brought her out of the home, she was breathing on her own. He said after crews started CPR, they were “able to get a pulse.” She was transported to UPMC-Mercy hospital in Pittsburgh.

“It’s never a good time for something like this to happen, but we’re a week before Christmas,” Coleman said. “These guys did a really good job. They gave her the best chance of survival.”

What caused the fire is not yet known, but a fire marshal will be investigating. The fire was under control, Coleman said, within about 10 or 12 minutes. He said they didn’t have any issues putting it out, despite the cold weather and snowy conditions.

“We prepare for this weather,” Coleman said. “The chains were still on the trucks, so we had no problems getting around.”

Assisting Washington at the scene were first responders from Canton, North Strabane, Peters Township and Ambulance & Chair.

“Everybody worked together for what will hopefully be the best outcome,” Coleman said.

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