PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia fire officials are investigating what caused a massive fire Wednesday morning that killed 12 people, including eight children.
Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy said the fire is “not necessarily considered suspicious.” He said at least 26 people were living in the three-story rowhouse in the city's Fairmount section.
In addition to the fatalities, two people were critically injured. One was taken to Temple University Hospital and the other to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The city had originally said 13 people had died.
Mayor Jim Kenney was on the scene Wednesday morning and choked up as he spoke during a news conference.
“This is without a doubt one of the most tragic days in our city’s history,” he said. “Loss of so many people in such a tragic way. Please keep all these folks, and especially these children, in your prayers. Losing so many kids is just devastating.”
He also confirmed that the building is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, and he said the agency inspected the building in 2019 and 2020 and installed working smoke detectors. He said at least four detectors discovered Wednesday were not operating.
Dinesh Indala, executive vice president of housing operations for PHA, said that the last inspection of the building was May 2021.
PHA President Kelvin Jeremiah confirmed in a statement the property was last inspected in May and that smoke detectors were operating properly at that time.
Otherwise, he said, “it is too early for us to say more,” adding “This unimaginable loss of life has shaken all of us at PHA.”
Regina Cureton, 48, lives in PHA housing some blocks away from the fire. According to Cureton, her building is a similar layout to the property and she raised concerns about fire escapes two years ago when she moved in — she said the only exits are the front and back doors.
”(My family and I) were afraid that this was going to happen and they never took care of that issue,” she said.
Cureton said she worries even with working alarms in her home, she and her children would have no way of escaping should the main exits be blocked.
Murphy said in his 35 years as a firefighter, it was one of the worst fires he’d ever seen.
“Let me be painfully clear,” he said, “that we’re in the process of investigating this to the highest level that we can.”
Murphy denied the suggestion that authorities were slow to respond, and said “they got people out very quickly.”
He said the “heavy fire” engulfed the kitchen area of the second-floor apartment and ran up an open stairwell to the third floor.
“The only thing that was slowing that fire down from moving was,” he paused, “nothing was slowing that fire down.”
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said Wednesday it is “too early” to say if the fatalities could be considered homicides or if a criminal investigation will get underway.
During a previously scheduled virtual briefing about gun violence, Outlaw was asked about the fatal fire, adding: “If there’s any evidence located that determines that the PPD needs to step in, we will do that. But it’s still too early to speak on that at this point.”
Some of the victims of the deadly fire attended Bache-Martin Elementary, a K-8 on 22nd Street, officials said. Fire survivors and family members gathered there Wednesday.
The school is one of 92 Philadelphia schools currently offering virtual instruction only because of a spike in COVID-19 cases that has affected staffing citywide. Though no students were in the building Wednesday, staff were teaching from their classrooms.
Aneisha Thomas could barely speak as she remembered her first cousins Virginia Thomas, Rosalee McDonald and their children. The two sisters lived in the upper apartment that was engulfed in flames early this morning on Poplar Street.
”She was so sweet,” she said of her cousin Virginia Thomas.
Now a Georgia resident, Aneisha Thomas grew up with Virginia Thomas and McDonald since since the three of them were in diapers. They were all close, she said.
Aneisha Thomas said that Virginia Thomas had five children, while McDonald had six.
Through tears, Aneisha Thomas said her family is devastated.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued a statement Wednesday on the fire:
“Devastated over this morning’s tragic fire. ... My heart goes out to the loved ones left to cope with this heartbreaking loss of life."
Northeast Philadelphia resident Donna Dodd drive to Fairmount Wednesday evening for a vigil that she heard was happening near the house.
Miscommunications led to the event being sparsely attended, but Dodd said she felt compelled to show support for the family.
”I’ve got kids of my own, and my heart just goes out to the family,” Dodd, 33, said. “That’s one of my worst fears — a fire in the house with my kids.”
City Council President Darrell Clarke – who represents the area in Council – was on the scene Wednesday.
“To say you have a loss of words is an understatement,” Clarke said. “This punches you in the gut. Children. People in the community. It’s just tragic. I don’t know what to say. It’s so sad.”
