A pre-dawn fire tore through a row of homes on the 3100 block of Weymouth Street in Kensington early Monday, driving startled residents into the street but causing no reported injuries. Flames chewed through several connected row houses as smoke and scorched debris hung over the block well into the morning while neighbors watched from the sidewalk.
Flames were first spotted around 2:30 a.m., starting in one row home and spreading into two adjoining properties, according to 6abc. The station reported that multiple people were forced from their homes and that authorities at the scene said they suspect squatters may have sparked the blaze. NBC10 said fire crews were called to the block around 2 a.m. and noted that some of the homes that burned had previously been boarded up by the city.
Neighbors Jolt Awake To Door-Banging Alarm
One resident told NBC10 that the first warning came not from sirens, but from neighbors frantically pounding on doors as the fire spread along the row.
"I was sleeping and heard a lot of noise; neighbors were hollering and banging on doors," the resident said. The station reported that firefighters brought the blaze under control and that no one was hurt, a rare bit of good news on a block that has seen its share of flashing lights.
City Task Force, Smoke-Alarm Push Follow Seasons Of Fires
The fire hit as city agencies work to rein in nuisance fires across Kensington, where small blazes can quickly turn into multi-home emergencies. The city’s Office of Public Safety relaunched a Nuisance Fire Task Force in November to patrol the area and knock down small fires before they spread.
That office and local outlets have highlighted a recent run of rowhome fires that pushed families out of their houses, including a recent run of rowhome blazes in Kensington and beyond that kept Philadelphia fire crews scrambling.
Weymouth Block Back In The Spotlight
The 3100 block of Weymouth Street was already on law enforcement’s radar before Monday’s fire. Last fall, federal and local authorities executed a large drug-gang takedown in the area, leaving several properties vacant or boarded, according to reporting by FOX29. In the wake of that operation, officials told 6abc they now suspect squatters may have been involved in Monday’s blaze, though investigators are still combing through the scene.
No injuries were reported, but multiple people were displaced, and the full extent of the property damage was still being tallied as crews wrapped up on the block. City and fire officials did not immediately release details on emergency shelter arrangements or longer-term assistance for those affected.
