One Dead In Kingsessing House Fire

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Authorities believe a kerosene heater may have helped fuel a deadly fire in Southwest Philadelphia.

Flames broke out late Friday night in the 5300 block of Kingsessing Avenue in the city's Kingsessing neighborhood.

Firefighters made quick work of the blaze, but later found the male homeowner dead in an upstairs hallway.

Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer says the home did not have working smoke detectors.

"We looked through the dwelling and we found one smoke alarm that was not working," Sawyer says. "That smoke alarm was at the top of the basement steps. You need to have one smoke alarm on each level, especially in the sleeping area."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Fire officials are reminding residents to fill kerosene heaters up outside and also leave plenty of space around space heaters.

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