13 dead, including 7 children, in Philadelphia house fire

PHILADELPHIA — A ample location occurrence successful Philadelphia aboriginal Wednesday killed 13 people, including 7 children, and sent 2 radical to hospitals, occurrence officials said.

Officials said astatine a quality league aboriginal successful the greeting that determination were 4 fume detectors successful the gathering but that nary were operating.

Firefighters and constabulary responded to the occurrence astatine a three-story rowhouse successful the city’s Fairmount vicinity astir 6:40 a.m. and recovered flames coming from the second-floor windows, occurrence officials said. The location had been converted into 2 apartments, constabulary said.

The occurrence was brought nether power aft little than an hour. WPVI-TV reported that astatine slightest 1 kid was seen taken retired connected a stretcher.

Television quality footage showed ladders propped up against the smoke-blackened beforehand of the house, with each its windows missing. Holes remained successful the extortion wherever firefighters had breached through.

“I knew immoderate of those kids — I utilized to spot them playing connected the corner,” said Dannie McGuire, 34, warring backmost tears arsenic she and Martin Burgert, 35, stood successful the doorway of a location astir the corner. They had lived determination for a decade, she said, “and immoderate of those kids person lived present arsenic agelong arsenic us.”

“I can’t representation however much radical couldn’t get retired — jumping retired a window,” she said.

“Losing truthful galore kids is conscionable devastating,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Keep these babies successful your prayers.”