Fire that killed 2 young children, 1 adult deliberately set, officials say
Fire that killed mother, 2 children deliberately set
The Philadelphia Fire Marshal reports that the early morning Strawberry Mansion rowhome fire that killed a mother and her two children was deliberately set.
PHILADELPHIA - An early morning fire in Philadelphia’s Strawberry Mansion neighborhood has claimed the lives of a woman and two young children, officials have confirmed.
Another woman and a third child also suffered injuries as a result of the fire.
The Philadelphia Fire Marshal is telling FOX 29 News the fire that killed the woman and two children was deliberately set.
Woman, 2 children killed in Stawberry Mansion fire
Friday morning's fire in Strawberry Mansion tragically claimed the lives of a woman and two young children, officials say. A second woman was injured after jumping from a second-floor window with a third child in her arms to escape the fire.
What we know:
Fire officials say the fire broke out inside of a two-story rowhome on the 2500 block of Corlies Street.
Firefighters arrived on scene to see heavy smoke and flames coming from the residence and immediately began working to rescue those inside.
Two young children were pulled from a second floor bedroom. A woman also managed to jump from a second-floor window with a third child in her arms.
After the fire and a secondary search of the home, a woman was found dead in a second-floor bedroom of the home.
Two children and the woman were hospitalized in critical condition. Fire officials confirmed later Friday morning that two of the children, both aged six, had succumbed to their injuries.
The third child, age two, who was in the arms of the woman when she jumped is believed to be in stable condition.
No firefighters were injured during the fire.
The Philadelphia Fire Marshal says the fire was deliberately set.
What they're saying:
On the block, grief takes hold as the family of those lost to the flames gather just yards from the blackened rowhome.
A woman who lived in the home, Chyna, stated, "I don’t really know. I don’t really know how to feel."
She spent the evening away and returned to find the tragedy, saying, "You all took my family. You all took four innocent lives, including that baby she had in her stomach that was very healthy, and she was about to have. That’s a tragedy."
Family members identified the woman and children who died as Ashley Thompson, in her 20s and 7-months pregnant, and her two children, Alya and Assad, both six.
A neighbor, Yessenia Nieves, said, "By the time we got down here, she had already jumped out of the window with the baby in her arms. It’s just devastating. Really sad, the whole situation."
Big picture view:
The Philadelphia Fire Marshal and federal ATF investigators poured through the blackened rubble in the early afternoon bringing in a dog which appeared to key on the front steps drawing investigators’ attention.
A prayer circle formed as investigators probed and loved ones feared the worst.
Chyna added, "I couldn’t even imagine in my mind who would want to hurt three babies and a pregnant girl."
What's next:
Officials with the Philadelphia Police Department said one person was taken into custody for further questioning, but no charges were filed.
That investigation is ongoing.