Woman killed in Etna house fire identified as grandmother of 12, food pantry volunteer

The woman who died soon after a fire ripped through her Etna home last week was 80-year-old Janet Wilson, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

Wilson was pronounced dead around 5:30 a.m. last Thursday, about a half-hour after emergency responders received the report of thick black smoke and flames shooting out of a duplex on Bridge Street, the Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office reports. The incident caused traffic congestion between nearby Butler and Freeport streets while crews knocked the fire down and attempted to rescue the woman trapped inside.

Wilson — a mother of five and grandmother of 12 — was found by firefighters on the structure’s second floor bedroom. It was the home in which she grew up, family members told Trib news partner WPXI-TV. Her adult son made it out of the duplex and was taken to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

One of Etna’s volunteer firefighters happened to live a few doors down and “went right to the scene and tried to get in,” Etna Volunteer Fire Chief Greg Porter told WPXI.

“Unfortunately, they were not able to get in in time to make a difference,” Porter said. “In a situation like this, time is against us. We only have a few minutes to get to anyone that is trapped in a building that’s on fire and, in this case, we just couldn’t get there quick enough.”

Born in Pittsburgh on Aug. 10, 1940, Janet Grace Wilson was a lifelong Etna resident. She was known for her service and devotion to her family and community, according to the obituary submitted by her loved ones. She also had a passion for gardening — though “her greatest joy in life were her grandchildren,” the obituary says. She volunteered at Bread of Life Food Pantry and was a member of First Congregational Church.

“Our family wishes to thank you for your heartfelt condolences,” her children wrote in Wilson’s obituary. “We are encouraged and lifted up by your love and support during the one of the most difficult times in our lives. Please continue to pray for us as we pray for you who knew and loved our mother.”

A funeral service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Congregational Church followed by a burial at Allegheny County Memorial Park in Allison Park.