A terrible fire broke out in a residential building in Philadelphia: 8 children and 4 adults were killed

Just before dawn on January 5, a fire broke out in a crowded, crowded house in Philadelphia, as a result of which at least 12 people died, including 8 children. It was one of the deadliest residential fires in the country's recent history. The edition told in more detail The New York Times.

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“This is without a doubt one of the most tragic days in our city's history, losing so many people in such a tragic way,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said. “To lose so many children, it’s just terrible.”

Zhakita Purifoy reported that the children who died were her nieces and nephews, and her three sisters died in the fire.

One five-year-old nephew survived and is now in the hospital, she said.

“He asks for his mom, dad, sister and cousins,” Purifoy said.

Firefighters arrived at a building in the Fairmount area, north of the city center, at about 06:40 am, officials said, and found a "heavy fire" coming from the second floor. It took 50 minutes to get the flame under control.

Eight people escaped from the building and two people, one of whom was a child, were taken to nearby hospitals, said Craig Murphy, first deputy commissioner for the Philadelphia Fire Department. The city initially reported a death toll of 13, including seven children, but revised both numbers on Wednesday night.

“I’ve lived here for 35 years and this is probably one of the worst fires,” he said. “We will try to make sure this is not in vain.”

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The building is operated by the Philadelphia Federal Housing Authority, city officials said.

Sumara Wright, 18, said one of the victims was a close friend and classmate of hers.

“I saw him riding a bike just two days ago,” she said.

She said that her friend and his brothers and sisters were in the house at the time of the fire.

“We were close, like family, we grew up together,” Wright added.

City leaders were shocked by the horror of the fire, which killed more than seven people in a house fire in 2008 and an explosion in 1985 that killed 11 people and burned 61 homes.

Smoke detectors in the building did not work

At least four smoke detectors in the house went off during the fire, Craig Murphy said.

He said that four smoke detectors were installed in 2019 and that another check was carried out and 2020 more sensors added in 2. The last check was on May 5, 2021, during which time six smoke detectors and three carbon monoxide monitors were in operation.

Darrell Clarke, president of the Philadelphia City Council, said in an interview that investigators are still trying to determine if any of the smoke detectors in the home worked.

“People take batteries out from time to time when they cook,” he said, adding that larger urban apartment complexes require wired smoke detectors. Those in the building were battery operated, fire officials said.

Mayor Jim Kenny said the city does not operate the Philadelphia Housing Authority, which operated the building. He urged the public to take into account the circumstances that could lead to the fact that so many people remained in the building during the fire.

Officer Eric McLeurin, a spokesman for the police department, said the fire quickly engulfed an apartment building.

The neighbors of the burnt house woke up screaming

Lori Roma was awakened by a scream from an apartment building across the street.

“When I looked outside,” she said. “I saw orange flames coming out of the second floor windows and there was a man screaming for help.”

She heard someone shouting, they tried to call the emergency services, but they could not get through. Roma herself dialed the number at 06:39 am, according to her, no one answered.

“Someone ran down the street with their ladder,” she said. “I think people were desperate to help.”

Murphy told reporters that he had not heard of people unable to reach emergency services.

According to Roma, firefighters arrived two minutes after her call and quickly put out the fire.

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Mario Mercado-Diaz, another resident of a neighboring house, said that he often saw the children who lived there playing in the street.

“There was a multi-generational family living here,” Mercado-Diaz said. “And they were good neighbors.” They always said hello and were very attentive to what was happening.”

Survivors gathered at a nearby school

The survivors gathered in an elementary school about a block south of the burned down house.

One woman hugged the other, draping a Salvation Army blanket over her, and told a reporter she couldn't answer questions yet. “It’s too hard right now,” she said.

Clarke said several of the children who died were students at the Bach Martin School, where the survivors gathered. Mr. Clark represents the Fairmount area where the fire took place.

Shalai Young, a mental health specialist, provided support to the victims. “When you see so many people dying in one area, it’s sad,” she said.

Young said her work had already taken her to the area, which she described as "family-oriented."

By evening, the fire engine remained parked in front of the burned down house, its stairs directed towards the building. A large yellow tarp was covered over it to block the entrance to the building as the bodies were removed by firefighters.

Young said she hopes to help the family and all neighbors displaced by the fire, starting with the "bare essentials."

“In a fire, you lose things that we take for granted every day—shoes, socks, blankets, pajamas, toiletries,” she said. “Anything I can do to help.”

Clarke said there are many offers of help to victims of the fire in his office.

“It’s a tight-knit community,” he said.

"An immensely gloomy day"

Philadelphia leaders mourn the deaths of the victims of the fire and struggle to express their grief in words.

Mayor Jim Kenny called the fire "tragic."

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“I have nothing more to say except please continue to pray for all these people, especially the children,” he said.

Kenny, whose father was a firefighter, later recalled how the fires that claimed the lives of children left an imprint on his family. His father, he said, "usually locked himself in his bedroom for a couple of days, and mine told me not to come to the door."

City councilors called for accountability.

"We must learn from what happened here so it doesn't happen again," Jamie Gauthier tweeted.

“This is an extremely dark day for Philadelphia,” said fellow council member Kendra Brooke. “We must find the root cause of this horrific tragedy so that it never happens again.”

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