Flames and smoke seen after 4-alarm fire breaks out at West Philadelphia apartment building
Multiple Philadelphia fire trucks are on the scene of a four-alarm blaze at an apartment building in West Philadelphia early Saturday morning.
The building is on the corner of 48th and Locust streets. Residents say it has been abandoned for more than five years.
After breaking out around 5 a.m., the fire was placed under control around 7 a.m. — meaning the fire incident commander on the scene is confident it won't spread — but flames and smoke may continue for some time. Around 8:30 a.m. the fire appeared to be reigniting.
A fourth alarm was struck around 6:15 a.m.
"I got out of bed and I went to the window...I lifted the window up and looked out, and that whole roof, that whole building was nothing but flames coming out the window, the roof was burning and all," said John Neal, who lives nearby.
Fire officials said they were working to protect a nearby school and were attacking the fire from outside the building at all angles.
We're working to learn if there are any injuries related to this fire.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
