PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Dozens of people were forced out of their Northeast Philadelphia apartments Thursday night after flames tore through the building. The four-alarm fire took nearly three hours to get under control.
Around 9:30 p.m., fire crews were called to 7400 Roosevelt Apartments, a complex off Roosevelt Boulevard, close to Cottman Avenue, in the Rhawnhurst section of the city.
“I thought it was nothing serious. And when I came out, the flames were coming straight out of the roof,” said resident Nicole Palin. “That was the first time I’ve ever seen that.”
The fire spread quickly, engulfing the roof.
“Heavy smoke conditions emanating from the fourth floor. Companies went into service with an interior attack to locate and fight the fire while simultaneously looking for any occupants,” Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson told reporters on the scene.
All residents managed to get out safely, though it was a challenge for some.
“When we got to that fire tower, I was choking coming out of there. It was a lot of smoke,” Donald Brock told NBC10. “An elderly couple was stuck on the stairs. The fire department had to carry them down.”
Around 50 residents were displaced, officials said. A Red Cross shelter was established at Samuel Fels High School.
Three residents suffered minor injuries. One of them refused treatment. No firefighters were hurt, Thompson said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.