Nearly 100 residents evacuated from apartment building due to transformer explosion

By Ricky Sayer

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    PENN HILLS, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — Nearly 100 people were evacuated from a senior apartment tower in Penn Hills Saturday after an electric transformer exploded and caught fire.

The 10-story Duff Manor apartment building was left without electricity, water, and air conditioning after the building emergency generator didn’t kick in.

It took crews hours to remove residents from their apartments. They had to go one by one, in some cases carrying them down steps.

“It makes me stutter how synchronized they were and how they got us out of there so timely, I was very frightened because I’m on oxygen,” said Victoria Johnson. “They took me down in a chair, it was an experience,” Johnson said, explaining it was like going on a ride at Kennywood.

Those who didn’t go with family members were taken on PRT buses a short distance away to the Penn Hills Senior Center. Most remained in good spirits.

One person was taken to a hospital, but we are told it was due to stress, not heat.

“So for us, it was a matter of time of the essence, let’s get these folks out of a hot environment to a cold environment,” said Fire Marshall Chuck Miller.

95 people were brought out.

As of Saturday morning, power was restored to the building and the process to get the residents back in the building has begun.

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