Woman killed in Jeannette fire, in what police described as a 'hoarding situation'

A woman in her 60s was killed Wednesday afternoon in a house fire in Jeannette, the Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson said.

The victim, who was not immediately identified, was in a Scott Avenue house that Jeannette Police Chief Derek Manley described as a “hoarding situation.” The fire was reported at 5 p.m., a Westmoreland County Public Safety supervisor said.

Firefighters were having a tough time getting inside the house, said Larry Stauffer, who lives in the neighborhood.

He said they tried to bust down the front door, and then a large glass window.

“They still couldn’t get in because of all the garbage,” he said.

Firefighters moved to the second floor and broke a window to get inside, he said.

“It was just packed and filled with garbage,” he said.

Neighbors said she lived alone and kept to herself.

Jeannette firefighters were assisted by multiple units, among them Hempfield, Greensburg, Penn Borough and Westmoreland City.

A state police fire marshal was at the scene shortly after 6 p.m., taking photos of the house.

The two-story house at 812 Scott Ave., is owed by Elizabeth A. Liptak, who has a Greensburg post office box, according to the Westmoreland County tax map.