Fire Breaks Out in Edgewood Kitchen

Nisher Johnson’s son was making french fries in the kitchen this afternoon when he decided to walk to the corner store for some orange juice.

He was barely up the street when the stove top burst into flames.

“I heard popping, looked around and saw flames and the pot was on fire,” Johnson, an adoptive mother, said. “Flames were on the side of the fridge.”

Johnson's home at 221 Elm Street in Edgewood was on fire at about 12:40 p.m. Thursday when more than seven fire trucks lined the residential street. Fire departments from Edgewood, Swissvale, Munhall, Homestead, Rankin and Forest Hills all were on the scene.

No one was hurt. The American Red Cross was called to the home as well. Edgewood Fire Chief Dave Andrews said there was extensive damage on the first and second floors of the house. The family was insured.

Johnson said five adults and seven children live in the three-story home, some of which are her children and grandchildren. One neighbor said Nisher is known for adopting several children.

Marilyn Coleman, who lives across the street, said one of those children ran to her house for baking soda in an effort to put the fire out.

“The next thing we saw were flames shooting out of the back of the home,” she said. “It looks like they’ve lost just about everything.”

Johnson stood across from the home as crews broke the windows and made sure the flames were gone. Neighbors wrapped their arms around her, lending support.

“It just kept going up,” she said of the flames. “I know he wasn’t even down the street by the time it happened.”

The Johnson family has lived on Elm Street since 2004.