PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A fire erupted inside a Mayfair rowhome Thursday morning, leaving 11 people, including an infant, without a place to live.
Police say the fire started around 7:30 a.m. on Cardiff Street near the 15th Police District.
Philadelphia Fire Department Executive Chief Derek Bowmer says the fire being so close to the station may have prevented it from turning deadly, as they were quick to respond to the scene.
"15th district police got here first," he explained. "They ran up here, they got calls from residents that there was a fire in this block. Once they got here, they made some saves for the residents here."
The fire department says two people jumped out of windows on the second floor to escape the fire, and officers rescued two others — an adult and an infant — from inside the house.
Two officers and a firefighter were injured while responding to the scene. They are now in stable condition at a nearby hospital.
Police say 11 people live in the home, but only four were inside when the fire broke out. All four residents were taken to the hospital for evaluation and are listed in stable condition.
Bowmer says while it's sad to see so many people displaced, he's happy everyone is still alive with minor injuries.
The fire was under control within 30 minutes. Investigators are looking into whether the home had smoke detectors installed.
