Philadelphia – At least 13 people lost their lives after a row house caught fire in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia.
According to the reports, at least 2 people are injured and were taken to the hospital.
The identities of the deceased are not revealed by the authorities at the moment. The ages of the dead are also not told but the neighbors stated that several children were living inside this row house.
Bill Richards, a neighbor who has lived on the same block for 24 years stated that he heard a woman yelling “oh my God! Oh my God!”
Moments later he heard fire trucks and ambulances.
“It’s very upsetting,” Richards said. “I just can’t wrap myself around it.”
“It’s a great neighborhood – a varied neighborhood. Some houses have single families, multi-families, there are apartments, a lot of renters but there are single families. I’ve been here for 24 years. I love the neighborhood,” Richards said.
According to the reports, a fire broke out in the house around 6:40 am in the 800 block of N. 23rd Street.
The firefighters arrived soon to find the house engulfed in heavy flames coming out of the second story of the three-story house.
It took almost 50 minutes for the fire to get under control.
Philadelphia police revealed the house was converted into two separate apartments.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and an investigation is underway.
The neighbors and the eyewitnesses stated that they woke up with a pungent smell of fire and heard sirens. The street was lined up with fire trucks.
“You come out. You think it’s not close. You think it’s never as close as it is,” neighbor Michelle said.
She told about another fire that happened before Thanksgiving on the same block.
“Twice,” Michelle said. “It’s horrible.”
One of the injured was a 36-year-old man who was shifted to the hospital with second-degree burns on his legs. His condition is serious but not in critical condition.
