Community rallies around elderly Allegheny Township woman when fire hits at her house

When fire hit Janet Feil’s Allegheny Township house Wednesday evening, first responders, family and neighbors rallied around the 84-year-old woman.

But it was a motorist driving down Garvers Ferry Road and Feil’s daughter living in Florida who set that response in motion.

Feil said she was getting dinner ready about 6 p.m. when she went outside her house to finish up some yard work.

When she walked up her deck to finish dinner, she saw smoke.

“There was smoke coming from everywhere,” Feil said.

Unable to go back inside to retrieve her phone, Feil began trying to alert neighbors to call 911 when she was able to flag down a motorist. He called 911 to report the fire.

“He saw the smoke and was ready to stop anyway,” Feil said. “I don’t even know his name.”

It appeared the fire started from a lawn mower in Feil’s garage, according to an Allegheny Township Volunteer Fire Company assistant fire chief who declined to give his name.

Feil reported mowing her grass earlier in the afternoon.

It took about 10 minutes for crews to put out the fire.

Fire officials didn’t immediately have an estimate on damage. The house had smoke and fire damage in the basement and smoke damage on the first floor. Feil stayed with a family member Wednesday evening.

No injuries were reported.

Feil was able to borrow someone’s phone and call friends and family to let them know of the situation, but responses were hit-or-miss because people weren’t aware of the different phone number she was calling from.

Eventually, she was able to get in touch with her daughter, Donna, who lives in Florida. Donna notified Feil’s niece, Paulette Lege of West Leechburg, who, with her husband, Dan, were one of the family members at the scene Wednesday.

The Leges dropped everything to make sure Feil was OK. Paulette Lege said that even at Feil’s age, she still works at a care facility for disabled people, a testament to her giving nature.

“That’s Aunt Janet,” Lege said. “She’s everything to us. She just helps everybody. She’s just wonderful. She’s the glue that holds everyone together.”

Next-door neighbor Nick Krason, 21, has got to know Feil through her grandson, a friend of his who now lives out of the area. Krason said his heart sank when he left work Wednesday and got a call that Feil’s home had caught fire.

“I help her with whatever I can help her with,” Krason said. “She’s a very sweet lady.”

Krason said he was relieved when he learned that Feil was OK.

“I wish the best for her. I hope it works out the best for her,” he said.

He complimented the firefighters’ work. Fire companies from miles around responded. Among them were Allegheny Township, Markle, Freeport, Buffalo Township, Hyde Park, Arnold, Lower Burrell, Allegheny Township police and Lower Kiski Ambulance.

“Our firefighters did amazing,” Krason said. “Their response here — I was impressed with that. They did fantastic.”