1 Dead, 1 In Critical Condition After Northeast Philly Fire
By Justin Finch
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A family in mourning, weighed down by a loved one's death and severe injury of another.
A man, neighbors say, lost his daughter, and is hoping his wife will be spared.
Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer says, "The daughter didn't make it out, and the father was able to make it out through the basement."
His escape was aided by a neighbor kicking in a basement door so he could run out.
But, fire officials say, his adult daughter was found dead on the second floor. His wife was discovered downstairs unconscious by a door.
She was taken to Aria Frankford Hospital with second and third degree burns.
About 7:30 Friday morning, firefighters arrived to a smoky fire in the basement of a Somerton home on the 600 block of Avon Street.
Neighbor Laurie Henderson was in her back yard as firefighters were responding.
"I've been here for 25 years, been looking at that house.. and I came out this morning and I see it. It didn't even dawn on me because I was half asleep."
Her home is right behind the one that went up in flames. She's stunned a life was lost.
"I just saw the daughter the other day and she was walking her dog."
Officials say the home had no working fire alarm on the first floor and it's unclear about others upstairs.
Commission Sawyer says, "We actually serviced this property in 2001 with smoke alarms, but we didn't find any working smoke alarms in the property."
Fire officials say this is the seventh fire death this year. It was double that this time last year.
A reminder for all families to have fire plans and working fire alarms.
No firefighters were injured and they are taking precautions in today's high heat and humidity.