Body found in shallow basement grave after fire in South Philadelphia: police
Body found in shallow grave in boarded-up restaurant after fire
A man’s body was found in a shallow grave in a boarded-up restaurant in South Philadelphia after crews put out a fire and neighbors are very disturbed by the discovery.
South PHILADELPHIA - Investigators say a body was found bound and in a shallow grave in the basement of a South Philadelphia closed-down Chinese take-out restaurant that caught fire on Thursday night.
Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said the body has not been identified yet and police are unsure exactly how the man died.
What we know:
First responders were called to the boarded-up restaurant on the 2200 block of South Street around 7 p.m. for reports of a fire.
Firefighters found a body in the basement of the unoccupied building and removed it after extinguishing the fire.
Investigators later learned that the man's body was bound and placed in a shallow grave, Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said.
Body of bound man found in Philadelphia basement after fire
Authorities in Philadelphia are investigating the discovery a man who was found bound and buried in a shallow basement grave following a fire.
What they're saying:
Philadelphia Deputy Police Commissioner Frank Vanore stated, "We now know it was a male that was in the basement, who was bound and placed in what appeared to be a shallow grave. I was told he was found in one part of the basement. There was another area that looked identical. We dug that up. There was nothing there."
Nearby residents say the business has been closed for a year or two. They describe the area as one of the best spots in Philadelphia.
Olivia Sandvold said, "I'm really surprised to hear everything that has happened, yeah. This is such a popular family-friendly neighborhood."
Sam Lieberman bought a house down the street a year ago and was stunned to learn the details of the discovery.
"That’s pretty disturbing. Thought it may have been an accident. Found a dead body in a fire, whatever, but like someone was murdered here, potentially. That’s pretty crazy."
Many are also wondering when this actually happened. Paula Moritz said, "It's creepy and until we know how long the body has been there and the details around it."
What we don't know:
Homicide detectives and the city medical examiner's office are working to determine how the man died.
It's also unknown at this time what sparked the fire.