A fire that erupted early this morning in Philadelphia's Frankford neighborhood has been controlled after a large response from the city's fire department, forcing the evacuation of nearby residences and leaving dozens without power, according to multiple reports. The blaze, which started around 5:30 a.m. on the 1200 block of Adams Avenue, required a four-alarm response from over 150 firefighters using 57 pieces of equipment, detailed by NBC Philadelphia.
The fire started in a commercial building with an auto shop, creating heavy flames and smoke. The fire spread to a nearby building, so Deputy Assistant Commissioner Derrick Bomer increased the alarm level from two to four. Firefighters worked from outside, but their efforts were limited by Frankford Creek behind the buildings. First Deputy Fire Commissioner Anthony Hudgins reported that the fire appeared to spread to nearby trees and vehicles reminiscing a battlefield with sounds of pops and bangs, and a neighbor described the scene as "really scary" in NBC Philadelphia coverage.
No injuries have been reported, but nearly 40 residents have been temporarily displaced as a result of the precautionary measures. The American Red Cross is assisting those affected. At the same time, according to a report by CBS News, PECO, the local electric company, reported nearly 900 outages due to the fire impacting their equipment.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, but the Philadelphia Fire Marshal's office will investigate to find out what started it. Assistant Deputy Commissioner Derek Bowmer said the department will stay at the site to ensure safety.
