Residents Back In Their Homes After Fire Rips Through Vacant House In North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Residents of one North Philadelphia street are safe and back in their homes Wednesday morning thanks to quick work by Philadelphia firefighters.
A fire broke out in a row home on the corner of Broad and Pike streets just before 1:30 a.m.
Neighbors tell Eyewitness News the fire started in a vacant home and then spread next door to another vacant home.
Other adjoining homes were evacuated as firefighters battled the flames. Crews went door to door making sure everyone was out safely.
Anthony Williams who lives closest to the fire says his grandfather got out of the house before he did.
Williams was asleep at the time and says he did not smell smoke. He only awoke when he says a firefighter and police officer banged on his door.
"There was no smoke in there," Williams recalls. "The lady told me to come on and move out. So, I had to leave without anything on. Some of the people out here gave me some things to put on. Basically, everybody is looking out for everybody."
Firefighters placed the fire under control in about 30 minutes. No injuries were reported.
Residents were allowed back inside and Broad at Pike Street reopened to traffic around 5:30 a.m.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.