PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Two people miraculously escaped serious injury after the South Philadelphia house they were inside partially collapsed Saturday evening.
Officials told KYW Newsradio, it happened around 5:45 p.m. Saturday when the walls of the home on the 1100 block of Sydenham Street, near 15th and Federal streets, stared to give. Police Inspector D.F. Pace said two men were inside the house.
"Both of those men were able to escape serious injury," said Pace. "One actually rode the debris down onto the street. The other had to be rescued from the second floor by a hook and ladder company."
Pace indicated the house was next to a property under construction. "It does appear that contributing factors of the collapse are the depth of the excavation itself," he noted.
"It looks like they were excavating for the basement of the new structure. Also the fact that down here in South Philadelphia, each of these homes relies on the homes adjacent to them for support, as far as townhomes go. In addition to that, adding the amount of rain that we received in the last couple days, all of those are contributing factors."
The two men were taken to a hospital. One has already been released, and the other is expected to be discharged shortly.
Some nearby homes were also evacuated. The Red Cross is rendering aid to the displaced residents.
