A Verona apartment building caught fire last night, leading to the evacuation of at least five residents and leaving several people homeless. The blaze that began in the four-unit structure on Center Avenue near 1st Street required firefighters to work for hours to extinguish the heavy flames, according to coverage by WPXI.
Erik Kust, a passerby returning from the grocery store, noticed the fire and rapidly took action. "I saw black smoke coming out from the basement," Kust said, "I pulled my truck over and started going door to door making sure everyone was out," in a statement detailed by WPXI. Mary Jo Martino, a second-floor resident, was among those rescued. She had attempted to leave her apartment to walk her dogs when she encountered black smoke. Martino opened a window and called for help, leading Kust to assist her and her pets to ensure safety.
Martino recounted her harrowing experience, "Smoke just poured in. It happened so fast. I thought that we were dying. I thought that was it," she said, per WTAE. The affected residents, now facing the aftermath of what Martino described as "devastation; it's totally devastating," are receiving assistance from the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The fire, which reportedly began in the building's basement, quickly engulfed the entire structure, resulting in a total loss.
Kust, displaying humble regard for his actions, insisted, "I just saw someone that needed help and had to jump in. I'm from this community. I love this community. I did what I expect any good neighbor to do," he shared with WPXI. Despite battling frigid temperatures that turned water into ice, causing at least one firefighter to fall and others to slip before salt was thrown, the fire department managed to secure the scene without any reported injuries.
