Officials To Call In Hoarding Task Force After Fire Condemns Ross Twp. Home

ROSS TOWNSHIP (KDKA) – Firefighters were called to a house fire in Ross Township Wednesday afternoon.

According to officials at the scene, the fire broke out around 1 p.m. in the 700-block of Ravenswood Avenue.

Boxes were stacked floor to ceiling throughout the home.

"We couldn't even get the door hardly open. Had to take the hinges off the door," Ross Township Fire Marshal John Reubi said. "There wasn't even a clear path."

Once firefighters got inside, they discovered a fire contained to a small portion of the dining room.

"We couldn't even get to the electric panel. We had Duquesne Light boot the meter," Reubi said.

Neighbors looked on.

"I'm not surprised because I heard she collected all kinds of stuff," neighbor Amy Bauer said.

A woman who neighbors say is in her 40s lives there alone. Firefighters say she got out safely. Her three dogs, cat and rabbit also got out safely.

Firefighters on scene of home in Ross Twp. We're hearing fire started in living room. #KDKA @CBSPittsburgh pic.twitter.com/jqwjCs3YbM

— Amy Wadas (@AmyWadas) September 30, 2015

One neighbor says the past few years haven't been easy for her.

"They've had tragedy over the past year. Her mother just passed. She's trying to cope and do the best she can," neighbor Lou Helfrich said.

Firefighters condemned the home.

"Maybe to do a little more pressure on getting the house cleared out I'm going to contact the Allegheny County Hoarding Task Force in the morning," Reubi siad.

Reubi would like to see this happen so the woman can move back into a home that's clean and safe for her and her pets. Until then, she will be staying with family.

If you suspect that your neighbor, a family member or friend has a hoarding issue, the Allegheny County Hoarding Task Force asks you to contact them so they can get that person the help that they need.

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