2 children in critical condition after West Philadelphia house fire
West Philly fire sends 4 to the hospital; 2 children critical
Two children remain in critical condition and two adults are in stable condition after a house fire in West Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA - Two children remain in critical condition and two adults are stable after a house fire in West Philadelphia sent four people to the hospital, according to officials.
Fire breaks out in West Philadelphia rowhome
What we know:
The fire started just before 10:00 p.m. in the area of 55th and Market streets, according to officials.
Firefighters rescued three people from the burning rowhome, including a young child who was trapped inside a second-floor bedroom.
Firefighters arrived quickly and brought the fire under control in about 20 minutes, according to officials. The home had working smoke detectors.
The Philadelphia Fire Marshal remained at the scene Wednesday investigating the cause of the fire. Crews also boarded up neighboring homes damaged by the blaze, including one that officials deemed unsafe to occupy.
The American Red Cross responded to help those displaced by the fire. Fire officials said three additional people were displaced.
Four people were hospitalized in the blaze. Two children remain in critical condition, while two adults are listed in stable condition.
The fire also displaced three additional people and damaged neighboring homes, with one deemed unsafe to occupy.
What they're saying:
Neighbors described hearing desperate cries for help as flames quickly spread through the home.
"She was yelling, ‘Get the baby. I can’t get the baby,’" said Val Hawkins, a neighbor. Hawkins said, "She was saying the baby is in the back room, and I don’t know that she jumped out that window or not because they were telling her to jump."
Ring camera video from across the street captured flames engulfing the first floor before the fire spread upstairs.
"I saw flames shooting out of that brown house," said Joy Poole, a neighbor. "I told my husband, ‘Get dressed and let’s go.’ I didn’t know how bad it would spread the way the flames were shooting."
Another neighbor said the fire intensified quickly. "It’s like it exploded. The whole downstairs was engulfed," said Hawkins.
Executive Chief Daniel McCarty praised firefighters for their response after receiving reports that children were trapped inside.
"When most people are running away, we’re running in," said McCarty. "When we get that 911 report that we have people trapped, especially infants and children, there’s a whole level of response that goes into that. Our dedication to service goes well beyond any title or rank we can hold."
"This is traumatic for the neighborhood and the community to see who was in that house and the fire department responding," said McCarty.
What we don't know:
The cause of the fire has not been determined and remains under investigation by the Philadelphia Fire Marshal. The current conditions of the displaced residents and the full extent of the damage to neighboring homes have not been detailed.
The Source: Information from the Philadelphia Fire Department and neighbors interviewed at the scene.