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Woman freed from collapsed staircase at Allegheny Commons East
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Pittsburgh rescue workers free Annette Wade, 52, from a collapsed stairway Thursday at the Allegheny Commons East complex on the North Side.
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A woman was trapped for about an hour Thursday evening when exterior stairs collapsed at Allegheny Commons East on East Ohio Street on the North Side.
Annette Wade, 52, was walking down the stairs, holding a railing, when her aunt, Christine Morand, said she heard a rumbling and the staircase came away from the wall.
Three men, including Ms. Wade's nephew, Brady Smith, held the staircase up for about a half hour while they waited for emergency personnel to arrive, he said.
Both legs were pinned between two stairs, said District Chief Stephen Carlson of the city's EMS unit, and the staircase had to be cut apart to free Ms. Wade.
She was alert through the incident and in stable condition when she was transported to the hospital, he said.
A neighbor said residents have complained about the safety of the exterior staircases for years.
On Friday, the company that manages Allegheny Commons East, WinnResidential, released the following statement:
"We are investigating the cause of this unfortunate incident, and fully cooperating with local officials. We will take all immediate steps necessary to address any issues and to safeguard
the safety of residents and visitors at Allegheny Commons East."
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Building Inspection was on-scene.
First Published January 31, 2013 7:21 pm
