Man believed to be dead after fire, house collapse in Northeast Philadelphia; wife saved by neighbor

An 87-year-old man is believed to be dead after a house collapsed during a fire in Northeast Philadelphia's Somerton neighborhood Monday. 

Philadelphia Fire Department Deputy Chief Thomas Gallagher said the fire started around 3:45 p.m. on the 1500 block of Wayside Road. 

Fire crews were notified about the fire by a neighbor who saved an 85-year-old woman from the two-story single home. Her 87-year-old husband is believed to be dead. 

Gallagher said fire crews were unable to get to the man inside the basement of the home when they arrived on the scene. The home was fully engulfed in flames and then collapsed. They're waiting on the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections to arrive to find the man believed to be dead.

Gallagher said the neighbor who rescued the 85-year-old woman also tried to go back and rescue her husband, but the flames were too strong. 

"We did our best to get the occupant that was located in the basement," Gallagher said. 

The neighbor and an 85-year-old woman were both taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to Gallagher. 

The fire happened after a winter storm dumped nearly 10 inches of snow in Philadelphia Sunday, and the snowy conditions played a role in the response by firefighters. 

"When we have serious weather like this, it always affects our operations," Gallagher said.

No firefighters were injured in the fire or collapse. 

The fire is under investigation by the fire marshal's office, Gallagher said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.