A man is dead and two other people are in the hospital after a fast-moving fire tore through a three-story rowhouse in Philadelphia’s Point Breeze neighborhood late Tuesday morning. The blaze broke out on the 1600 block of Ellsworth Street shortly before 11 a.m., ripping through the home as firefighters rushed in and pulled three people from the burning building. One of those victims later died, while the other two were taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and received skilled EMS care.
The Philadelphia Fire Department said in a Facebook post that crews "rescued three people from a burning home" and called it "a very difficult day for the Point Breeze community and our members." The department said it was offering support to neighbors and firefighters shaken by the loss.
Response at the scene
When firefighters arrived, they were met with heavy smoke and flames pouring from the second and third floor windows, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Roughly 60 fire department personnel worked to knock down the blaze, which officials said was brought under control shortly before 11:30 a.m. No firefighters were injured in the response.
Neighbors' accounts
Neighbors described a frantic scene on Ellsworth Street as first responders swarmed the block and raced into the home, CBS News Philadelphia reported. One resident told the station that a neighbor jumped in to provide first aid before crews could reach the victims. Several neighbors also praised the woman who lived in the rowhouse, calling her a "pillar" of the block.
Investigation ongoing
Authorities have not yet determined what sparked the fire, and officials said the Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the man’s cause of death, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Police and fire investigators continued to work the scene Tuesday and had not publicly released the victim’s name.
Fire officials said they did not find any working smoke detectors inside the house and urged residents to check their alarms and rehearse a home escape plan, CBS News Philadelphia added. The fire department’s Facebook post also extended condolences to the family and neighbors grieving the deadly blaze.
