According to a report from WNEP, an elderly woman has died and 61 have been displaced after a fire erupted in a Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, high-rise early Tuesday morning. The coroner later confirmed the identity of the victim as 72-year-old Patricia Cox.
Multiple fire companies responded to the Blakely High Rise on Railroad Avenue after the first alarm was rung at around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday. First-arriving crews found smoke and flames coming from a third-floor apartment, which was later found to be the home of the deceased.
Firefighters were taxed with helping many of the residents, many with mobility issues. They were transported to a local church to avoid the cold.
Wilson Fire Company Chief Jason Leri said fire crews contended with heavy smoke, with must of the damage from the fire found on the third floor.
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