Horrific fire in Philadelphia: What you need to know

Philadelphia firefighters and police work on the scene of a lethal row home hearth on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, within the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia.

Matt Rourke, Related Press

Not less than 13 folks — together with seven kids — have been killed in a horrific hearth Wednesday at a home in Philadelphia, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The house — situated within the Fairmount part of town — is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority. Not less than 26 folks have been residing within the house, which is a three-story row home.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf stated he was devastated by the huge hearth.

• “My coronary heart goes out to the family members left to deal with this heartbreaking lack of life,” he stated.
• “Thanks to the courageous first responders who bought the hearth below management.”

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney stated: “That is certainly probably the most tragic days in our metropolis’s historical past.”

Per CNN, firefighters reportedly discovered ”heavy hearth” within the kitchen space. Craig Murphy, Philadelphia deputy hearth commissioner, stated there was “nothing slowing that fireside from shifting.”

• “It was horrible,” Murphy stated. “That is most likely one of many worst fires I ever been to.”

The Philadelphia Hearth Division stated it “took 50 minutes to position the hearth below management.”