ADAMS TWP — A fire gutted an apartment off Three Degree Road and left two others damaged from smoke early this morning.

Adams Area Fire District Assistant Chief Al Minjock said the blaze started at 1:38 a.m. after lightning struck a four-unit condominium at 3404 Senate Court in the Adams Crossing housing development.

Crews were there several hours before returning to their station, only to have the fire rekindle again sometime around 7:30 a.m.

Fire departments from Cranberry Township; Middlesex Township; Pine Township, Allegheny County; and Harmony responded to the second alert, including Adams Area Fire District, he said.

The residence was occupied by Tonia Koltiska, 76, who lived alone.

Her daughter, Lori Milas of Cranberry Township, was at the scene at 8 a.m. today.

Koltiska was sleeping in her first floor bedroom when the second story of her apartment went up in flames and did not hear several knocks on the door from neighbors trying to get her out, Milas said.

Firefighters shortly after 2 a.m. forced their way into the structure and removed her from the building.

"The smoke was so bad then, it was just traumatic that she had to be hauled out," Milas said.

Koltiska had no injuries and was staying at a neighboring unit.

Scott Snyder, executive director of the Butler chapter of the American Red Cross, said his organization will be assisting Koltiska.

Firefighters removed valuables from the unit including several wall hangings and family pictures, according to neighbor Mary Ann Craig.

Craig, who lives catty-corner to the burned unit, said she did not awaken until about 2:30 a.m. By that time, tall flames already had engulfed the unit, she said.

Two neighboring units were damaged by smoke and a third was an unoccupied floor model.

Chief Bill Westerman of the Adams Township police department said damage from the lightning strike is visible on the outside of the unit.

"You can see the spot where the lightning hit on the unit where the fire started. The spot is on the side where the siding and brick come together just below the roof line," Westerman said.

He described the charred spot as 3 or 4 feet in diameter.

The housing development is off Three Degree Road behind Mars High School.