Arson suspected in Harrison house fire

A pit bull named Juice saved seven people from a fire early Thursday.

Usually the face-licking puppy was quiet but constantly in motion in the Harrison apartment where he and his owners lived.

But about 12:30 a.m., Juice began barking furiously from his kennel, waking Ilah Verner and her boyfriend, Marcus Obey.

Outside, on the back porch of 66 Vine St., Natrona, a fire — which police suspect was intentionally set — was raging.

The dog's commotion gave Obey and Verner time to get Verner's sons, 11 and 9, and a visitor out of their basement apartment before a close call became a tragedy.

“I almost forgot Juice,” Obey said. “I had to run back inside and let him out.”

The couple's other dog also made it out.

By then, upstairs resident Jacob Fisher was helping Virginia Licho, 70, onto the porch roof as they fled, Verner said.

Obey helped neighbors Bob Gleinn, Chris Sowinski and others with a ladder to help them down.

Obey fell into a fence and injured his ribs.

Ambulance crews took Obey, Fisher and Licho to Allegheny Valley Hospital, Harrison, where they were treated and released.

The fire all but destroyed the house, which is more than 100 years old and had been divided into apartments. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze to just that structure.

Police suspect arson

Allegheny County Police Superintendent Charles Moffatt said county detectives are working with Harrison police and county fire investigators to find surveillance footage and witnesses.

“We haven't classified it as arson yet,” he said.

But Harrison police Chief Mike Klein said, “Signs point to an incendiary device.”

The blaze produced so much heat that James Drane, his wife and daughter had to leave their Natrona Street apartment building one street over and behind the burning building.

“It was so hot. So intense. It was unbelievable,” Drane said. “A fireman told me that he could see the fire from Freeport Road in Natrona Heights. I believe it. This was something.

“The fire hit the roof and it seemed to suck the flames inside.”

Among the nervous neighbors running to help was Crystal Caudriet.

“She's like my sister and he's like my brother,” she said about Verner and Obey.

Caudriet at first thought the “unreal” orange glow was coming from her sister's house along Vine Street.

“It turned out to be Ilah's house. All I could say was, ‘Oh, no',” and join her stepfather, Bob Gleinn.

Caudriet and her mother, Anna Gleinn, took in the dogs, Juice and Sadie.

“This is like a ‘Lassie' remake,” Caudriet. “Juice saved their lives.”

Chuck Biedka is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4711 or cbiedka@tribweb.com.