PHILADELPHIA — A deadly fire tore through a rowhouse in a Philadelphia neighborhood Wednesday morning, killing 13 people, fire officials confirmed.
Several children were among the casualties, fire officials said during the news conference. The number of dead and injured is dynamic and subject to change as the scene continues to be worked, officials said.
Fire officials told WPVI it took about 50 minutes to get the fire under control.
Officials from the Philadelphia Police Department told KYW that the house had been converted into two apartments.
A cause for the fire has not been determined yet. Officials said the fire appeared to originate from the second floor of the three-story public housing building. An investigation is underway.
There were four smoke detectors in the building, but none were working, officials said.
A fire official who spoke at a news conference said it’s one of the worst fires he’s worked in his 35-year career.
Preliminary information indicates companies arrived at 6:40 a.m. and found heavy fire coming from the second floor of a three-story rowhouse. It took 50 minutes to place the fire under control. More to come.
— Philadelphia Fire (@PhillyFireDept) January 5, 2022
“This is without a doubt one of the most tragic things in our cities history”
— Miguel Martinez-Valle (@MiguelMValle) January 5, 2022
Mayor visibly shaken as he talks about 13 people, including children, dead from Fairmount house fire. @NBCPhiladelphia pic.twitter.com/GeRCxJ2f9k
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