Arnold fire victim remains in ICU; fundraiser established for sisters who died

The mother of two women killed in an Arnold fire last week remains in a hospital intensive care unit recovering from the blaze, a longtime family friend said Thursday.

Lori Muldrow, 61, remains in West Penn Hospital’s ICU because she inhaled smoke that damaged her lungs after her house at 1908 Kenneth Ave. in Arnold caught fire Aug. 27., said family friend Bridget Johnson of Ambridge.

“As far as we know right now, she’s going to need 24-hour care and rehab,” Johnson said.

Two of Muldrow’s daughters, Latecia and Shakeeta Murphy, died as a result of the fire.

Shakeeta, 39, was taken to the Allegheny Valley Hospital emergency room and died later that night, according to the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s office.

Latecia, 38, died the following day at UPMC Mercy hospital. She had jumped out a window to escape the fire, authorities said.

A fourth person was also in the house at the time of the fire, whom Johnson identified as Latecia’s boyfriend, “George.” Authorities said he refused medical treatment at the scene but later went to the hospital.

Johnson did not know his condition Thursday.

“He brought Lori out of the house,” Johnson said. “He went back in and said he couldn’t get to (Shakeeta.)”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Arnold firefighters say it looked like the fire broke out along the front of the building on the second floor. The home is a total loss.

Johnson and her daughter, Dominique Richardson of Wilmerding, have established a GoFundMe to help cover Shakeeta and Latecia’s funeral service expenses, cremation costs and memorial arrangements. Funeral arrangements haven’t yet been scheduled, Johnson said.

“Their family was not blood, but we’re still family,” Johnson said. “If I was in (Muldrow’s) position, she’d do the same thing for me.”

Johnson said she met Muldrow decades ago when her mother worked as an aide for Muldrow’s grandmother. Muldrow worked at Penn Glenn Oil Works in New Kensington, Johnson said.

Johnson’s four children grew up around Muldrow’s daughters, Johnson said. In addition to Latecia and Shakeeta, Lori has a third daughter, Lois, who lives in Pittsburgh, Johnson said.

“She’s trying to keep herself together,” Johnson said. “It’s been hard on her. She lost two of her sisters. She was with Latecia and saw the damage done to (her) from the fall.”

Muldrow, Latecia and Shakeeta all lived in the Kenneth Avenue home, Johnson said. Latecia cared for her sister, who was autistic and nonverbal, and her mother, who suffered strokes.

“Tecia (Latecia’s nickname) was the one who held everyone together,” Johnson said.

Shakeeta was bright, Johnson said. She remembered a time where they went shopping and bought a grill.

“(Shakeeta) had put the grill together with no directions, nothing,” Johnson said. “I was so amazed she put it together without directions or help from anybody.”

The family was loved, Johnson said.

“(Shakeeta) was always curious about her surroundings. Her smile lit up everything. Tecia — you never knew what new thing she wanted to try. She tried to make sure she took care of her mother and sister.”

Johnson said one lesson learned from the tragedy is for families to make sure they have important documents saved somewhere or provided to a loved one in case someone else needs to make funeral or estate arrangements.

“Death waits on nobody,” she said. “Enjoy the time you have with loved ones … enjoy the people you love.”