Elderly woman critical, firefighter hurt after rowhome fire in East Germantown

Fire in East Germantown leaves elderly woman critical, firefighter hurt

Three people, including a firefighter, were hospitalized after a fire tore through a two-story rowhome in East Germantown early Tuesday morning, also damaging two neighboring rowhomes.

PHILADELPHIA - Three people, including a firefighter, were hospitalized after a fire tore through a two-story rowhome in East Germantown early Tuesday morning, also damaging two neighboring rowhomes.

Fire breaks out in East Germantown rowhome

What we know:

The Philadelphia Fire Department said crews responded to the 500 block of High Street just before 7:00 a.m. and found heavy smoke coming from a two-story rowhouse. 

Firefighters rescued an elderly woman from the second floor, and she was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Timmeka Hinson, who lived in the home with her close friend and his mother in her eighties, said, "I heard a ‘BOW’ and I opened my eyes and looked, he jumped too and looked, and it was just a big ball of flames right beside him." 

Hinson said she ran out screaming for help and called 911, knowing her friend’s mother was still upstairs and pets were inside.

A firefighter was also rescued after declaring a mayday when the first floor collapsed, according to the fire department. 

Another firefighter was treated at the scene for a minor injury. The fire was brought under control about 45 minutes later.

Neighbors react and help each other

The other side:

Ernest Allen, a neighbor and friend of one of the injured, said, "He was asking me could I get him to the hospital because he couldn’t get his car out." 

Allen added, "He was crying, he was just stuck, because he didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know what to do."

Tiffany Coleman, whose mother’s home next door was damaged, said, "It was really smoky out here, really bad." She added, "They’re alright, they’re getting checked out at the hospital, they were placed somewhere, so for right now, they’re OK, which is the best part."

Hinson said one dog made it out of the home, but they fear a second dog did not survive the fire. 

Neighbors said they are taking precautions after seeing the damage firsthand. 

"I just went in the house and told my family like, look, we gotta’ get some of that stuff out our basement, we gotta ‘get some of this clutter out of here, because I just walked down the street and saw this happen to a good friend of mine and I don’t want that happening," said Allen.

The fire marshal and ATF remained on the block into the afternoon, focusing their investigation behind the home.

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet announced the official cause of the fire, and the investigation is ongoing. 

The current condition of the elderly woman remains critical, and there is no update on the missing dog.