PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Officials are trying to figure out what caused a North Philadelphia rowhome to collapse Friday while a woman was inside the house in bed.
Department of Licenses & Inspections officials said they got the call around 2:30 p.m. that a house near the intersection on West Allegheny Avenue and North Stillman Street had collapsed with people still inside.
Authorities arrived and surrounded the scene where the fallen roof, bricks and other rubble were still on the ground.
A 50-year-old woman was rescued from the home. Others who were inside managed to dig their way out of the rubble.
Everyone is expected to be physically OK. Neighbors from adjacent homes which were also damaged from the collapse had to evacuate.
Richard Cooke's family house has been in the neighborhood since the 1960s.
"It does worry you," he said. "These houses ain't easy, you gotta maintain 'em."
The incident is still under investigation.
