Man climbs down building as fire forces evacuation of West Philly high-rise apartments

WEST PHILADELPHIA - A total of seven people, including three police officers, were taken to the hospital after a trash chute fire in a West Philadelphia high rise.

The fire broke out around 9:30 p.m. Thursday at an apartment building on Holden Street. 

Hundreds of people were evacuated and four people inside had to be treated at the hospital for smoke inhalation. Three responding police officers were also treated in the hospital for smoke inhalation.

SKYFOX captured the moment a man climbed down the side of a high rise apartment building to escape a fire.

During the fire, there were reports of people stuck in the building, which is at least 19 stories high.

SKYFOX was over the scene as one man escaped by climbing down the balconies on the side of the building. He walked away unharmed.

This building, which is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, has fire-escapes on the outside of the structure.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.