Fire in Philadelphia Rowhouse Was Fatal, Officials Say

A fire that engulfed a house in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood was fatal, according to the city’s Fire Department.

The Philadelphia Fire Department said on Twitter that it responded to “heavy fire” from the second floor of a rowhouse in the city’s Fairmount neighborhood around 6:40 a.m. It took 50 minutes to get the fire under control, the department said.

The Fire Department and the Philadelphia Police Department declined to confirm numbers for fatalities or injuries early Wednesday.

Police officers and firefighters were called to the 800 block of North 23rd Street at 6:38 a.m., said Officer Eric McLaurin, a spokesman for the Police Department.

The fire overwhelmed a house that had been converted into two apartments, he said.

“You just pray for all involved,” Officer McLaurin said. “It’s a bad situation.”