PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A woman was killed in a high-rise fire near the Philadelphia Museum of Art late Monday night. Several other residents were displaced because their units were damaged.
The fire broke out at The Philadelphian condo building, at 24th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, officials said. The building's alarm system was activated around 11 p.m., and nearby fire companies were alerted.
"I gathered my belongings and I went out to the hallway to knock on the doors to awaken my neighbors," resident Hughe Dillon, a Philadelphia photographer, said. "Went to the fire tower and it was completely full of water, so I knew that it was a serious fire and it was advanced."
Firefighters went up to the unit on the 14th floor where the fire started and encountered heavy smoke. They pulled the unidentified victim out of the condo and medics took her to the hospital. She was pronounced dead a short time later.
The Philadelphian is one of the largest residential properties in the city, with 776 units. Dillon said only one of the three wings had to be evacuated.
In all, seven units were damaged, officials said. Displaced residents were able to get assistance from the Red Cross.
Officials noted one of the first fire companies to respond was Ladder 1, which was just put back in service thanks to a federal grant that President Joe Biden and city leaders highlighted during his trip to Philadelphia on Monday.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
