Water Authority Crew Saves Family From Burning Scottdale Home

SCOTTDALE (KDKA) -A Water Authority crew in Scottdale helped to rescue a family from an intense house fire Thursday morning.

According to officials at the scene the fire started around 4:45 a.m. at a home on Chestnut Street.

A family of four living on the second floor was initially trapped because of intense flames. They crawled out onto the roof of a porch and called for help.

"I knew what to do, but I couldn't do it because I couldn't move out of that room. That's how bad that fire was," Jim Newton said.

A Water Authority crew that was working to repair a water main break nearby, sprang into action.

"Thank God we were here. It was the one time a broken water line actually paid off," Steve Rosatti said.

The crew heard the cries for help, drove their backhoe up to the house and had the family crawl into the bucket to safety.

"We jumped in the bucket of the backhoe and they brought us to the ground," Newton said. "I love you guys, I owe you."

"I think anybody in that situation would have done the same thing," Frank Francia said.

People living in the two units downstairs were able to get out of the house safely on their own.

The fire was put out around 6 a.m. and there are no reports of injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Watch: Witness Cell Phone Video Of Fire:

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