Thirteen people, including 7 children, reportedly dead after row house fire in Philadelphia

The fire broke out in the early hours of Wednesday morning

Published: January 5, 2022 10:25am

Updated: January 5, 2022 2:39pm

Thirteen people, including seven children, are dead after a house fire in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia.

At least two others are reportedly injured.

"This is probably one of the worst fires I ever been to," said Philadelphia Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy.

The fire began at roughly 6:40 am. Firefighters arrived to find flames shooting out of the second story of the three-story row house. The fire department said it took close to 50 minutes to bring the fire under control. 

It is unclear what the cause of the fire was, or if there were working smoke detectors in the house. 

Mayor Jim Kenney was on the scene, as were officials from the Philadelphia Housing Authorities. 

"This is without a doubt one of the most tragic days in out city's history," said Kenney. "Losing so many kids is just devastating ... keep these babies in your prayers."

The Facts Inside Our Reporter's Notebook

Links

Unlock unlimited access

  • No Ads Within Stories
  • No Autoplay Videos
  • VIP access to exclusive Just the News newsmaker events hosted by John Solomon and his team.
  • Support the investigative reporting and honest news presentation you've come to enjoy from Just the News.
  • Just the News Spotlight

    Support Just the News