An early morning fire in Philadelphia's Holmesburg neighborhood has led to an investigation amid suspicions of arson. Firefighters were called to the scene on the 4100 block of Decatur Street just after 4:30 a.m. on September 4th, responding to a fire inside a rear garage, FOX 29 reports. While the flames were contained within about half an hour, they left residents of two homes displaced.
Though the fire was initially declared an act of arson by Philadelphia police, the Fire Marshal's Office has yet to definitively confirm the cause. A source close to the investigation informed FOX 29 that they are continuing to treat the fire as suspicious. Neighbors reported being awakened by loud noises, which some mistook for gunshots due to their intensity, prior to seeing the fire erupt. "I was out here about 4:20 watering my flowers and you hear the popping, everybody thought it was gunshots, because it was so loud," said Joseph Krause, a neighbor who also made efforts to rapidly to ensure others' safety by knocking on doors.
No injuries have been reported in connection with the blaze, which affected not only residences but a garage housing a classic car, now lost to the flames as stated by Andrew Houck, a friend of the garage's owner, in an interview with FOX 29. The fire spread to at least one other house causing extensive damage, detailed by NBC Philadelphia in their coverage of the event. Families have been forced to consider other living arrangements, with one owner telling NBC Philadelphia about his recent purchase of the home with the intent to renovate and move in.
Among affected residents, one homeowner, whose house incurred water damage, explained the severity of the situation to 6abc Action News, saying they would "basically be starting over." Neighbors expressed concern over frequent gatherings behind the homes; Fallson Christopher, living just a few doors down from where the blaze began, recounted to 6abc Action News his rush to safeguard his family amidst uncertainty over potential explosions. As families and investigators piece together the circumstances of the incident, no arrests have been made and the incident remains under investigation as a possible arson.
