WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. -- A call to put out a kitchen fire in Canton Township led to the discovery of an elderly couple living in deplorable conditions and barely able to take care of themselves.

The fire did little damage to a small Oakland Avenue home where the couple lived -- but inside, firefighters saw foul, narrow halls and rooms with rotting food, piles of clothes and boxes, urine and feces on the floors.

"I've been in the fire service for roughly 30 years. This is probably the worst house I've seen," Canton Fire Chief Dave Gump said.

Township Supervisor Ron Harton said the house is unsafe and not fit to live in.

"It's a shame that two elderly people have to live like that," he said. "They were probably better off in some kind of housing development."

Walter S. Cherry, a local pastor, said he and others had tried to help them.

"I knew it wasn't great inside," Cherry said. "We called a couple places, but we couldn't do nothing."

The Red Cross is helping the couple, whose names were not immediately available.

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