Donora woman dies following a fire in her apartment
DONORA – A Donora woman died Monday following a fire in her apartment that forced the evacuation of Donora Towers.
Washington County Coroner Tim Warco said Lenora A. Brownlee, 92, was pronounced dead at 8:54 a.m. in Mon Valley Hospital, about an hour after the fire in apartment 504.
The fire was limited to the chair in which she was sitting at the time in the high-rise at 685 Meldon Ave., an emergency official said.
Donora Volunteer Fire Co. said the fire, which forced smoke into the fifth floor, was quickly extinguished.
Resident Paula Hart said she walked down eight flights while being evacuated from the building.
“They told us to come outside to be accounted for,” Hart said.
The residents were moved into the building’s community room about 9:15 a.m. after it began to drizzle outside.
The cause and manner of Brownlee’s death were pending further investigation, Warco said.
He said a state police fire marshal was called to investigate the cause of the fire.
The apartment building is managed by Rose Community of Ohio.
The management in the Donora high-rise declined comment on the fire Monday.