PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Fire Department spent hours battling a fire that broke out at a warehouse in the city's Frankford neighborhood on Christmas Eve and lasted into Christmas morning.
Firefighters responded to the site around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, when flames were coming through the roof of the building in the 1600 block of Foulkrod Street. At 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters were still at the scene snuffing out hot spots.
At its peak, the fire reached three alarms, with about 120 firefighters, medics, chiefs and support personnel at the scene.
No injuries have been reported, and the Fire Marshal's Office is investigating.
Potential health hazard
Later Wednesday, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and the Office of Emergency Management issued a statement warning residents of potentially poor air quality from smoke.
"The air may be potentially hazardous for sensitive groups, including children, elderly people, people who are pregnant, and those with respiratory diseases or heart conditions," the Health Department statement said.
At the time of publication, no specific hazardous substances had been identified.
"Out of an abundance of caution," the department advised neighbors to avoid unnecessary exposure to smoke, making the following recommendations:
✔ Avoid the area, or try to stay indoors as much possible.
✔ While outdoors, avoid excessive activity, and wear a mask.
✔ Close all windows and doors.
✔ Recirculate air with fans to avoid bringing more air pollution into your home.
✔ Avoid areas of high congestion, where air circulation may be low, such as main streets and highways.
✔ If symptoms such as trouble breathing, nausea or dizziness occur, get medical attention as soon as possible.
For more information, follow the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management and the Department of Public Health on X. Register to receive emergency alerts from via ReadyPhiladelphia by texting READYPHILA to 888-777 or visiting https://www.phila.gov/ready.