Woman killed, 2 children in critical condition after Philadelphia rowhome fire
Two children were hospitalized in critical condition and a woman was killed in a house fire in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia, fire officials said.
The fire broke out on the 3100 block of Stirling Street, just off Frankford Avenue, around 5:40 a.m. Videos from residents showed the home fully engulfed.
"It was coming out like a torch," neighbor Mel Sutton said. "You could feel the heat."
An unknown number of people were able to escape the burning home, Deputy Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Carl Randolph said.
Firefighters rescued the two children, who received emergency care at the scene and were then transported to the hospital, a spokesperson for the fire department said. They are in critical condition. The ages of the children were not immediately available.
The woman was pronounced dead just before 7 a.m., according to Philadelphia police. At least two other people were also treated by medics at the scene.
The blaze was under control around 6:15 a.m. About 75 firefighters and support staff responded, the department said.
Randolph told reporters at the scene that there were no working smoke alarms inside the house.
Ten people are displaced because of the fire, the spokesperson said. The local chapter of the that disaster workers are providing resources and emotional support to those affected.
Anyone who needs a smoke alarm can call 311 to have them installed in their home for free, Randolph said.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
