Clairton residents and officials are mourning the loss of three young residents in an overnight fire Friday.
Fire crews were dispatched to the 2800 block of Soltis Avenue in the Century Townhomes portion of the city shortly after 1 a.m. Clairton police were first to respond and attempted to rescue the trapped residents but were forced back by smoke and heat, said Donald A. Brucker, Allegheny County's chief deputy fire marshal.
"I can't say enough about them," he said. "Several of the Clairton police officers went above and beyond."
Sisters Rachel Finn, 9, and Deausha Faulk, 6, along with their cousin, 2-year-old Michael Zigler, were discovered in upstairs bedrooms before being taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead at 2:15 a.m., the Allegheny County Medical Examiner said.
The cause of death for all three children is listed as smoke inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning. The deaths are considered accidental.
Also in the house when the fire erupted were Tiarra Williams, 17, a junior at Clairton High School. She suffered smoke inhalation and first- and second-degree burns on her hands and arms trying to save her brother, Michael Zigler. Williams was being treated at UPMC Mercy.
Daishawn Smith, 11, also was at Mercy being treated for smoke inhalation. Essence Finn, 14, was uninjured.
Markel Finn-Faulk, who is mother to Rachel, Deausha, Daishawn and Essence, also was treated and released from the hospital. Her children were in their first year in Clairton schools after transferring from Pittsburgh Public Schools, Clairton Elementary Principal Deborah Marshall said.
Allegheny County Fire Marshal Robert Full said officers and firefighters are devastated that they were unable to reach the children in time.
"Everything that was humanly possible to save these young children was done," he said. "The fire was extraordinarily dangerous and, in this particular case, it's taken its toll."
The two girls attended Clairton Elementary School, where officials were shocked to learn of the fire but acted quickly to provide whatever support they could.
"We are extremely saddened by the news of the fire that occurred in Clairton and took the lives of three children," Clairton City School District Superintendent Dr. Lucille Abellonio said in a prepared statement. "The district mourns their loss."
The district had an in-service day Friday with no students present at the building, but counselors were available for anyone in need of immediate assistance.
"When school resumes on Monday, the crisis team will be available to speak to all students," Abellonio said. "We understand that the older children are in area hospitals, and we will do all that we can to support them during this difficult time."
Officials continue to investigate the cause of the fire, though preliminary reports indicate it is not considered suspicious, Brucker said.
He said the fire apparently began in the kitchen, and there were no space heaters nor anything else that could have obviously contributed to it.
The children were not home alone, and the unit had four working, battery-operated smoke alarms.
City officials also were upset by the news. City Manager Ralph Imbrogno, who has served Clairton in various capacities throughout the last 30 years, said he never before had experienced a situation like this.
"On behalf of the mayor and city council, our hearts go out to the families and residents in that area for the tragedy that took place," he said. "It's one of those things that stuns you. I know the community as a whole is upset.
"We just have to analyze what happened and just pray that it doesn't happen again."
Brian Knavish, marketing and communications coordinator for the American Red Cross, said the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter is assisting two families with food and clothing.
