Massive West Kensington Blaze Under Investigation
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Eyewitness News has learned federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms have now joined Philadelphia Fire Department investigators looking for the cause of a destructive 3-alarm fire that tore through a commercial building at Front and York Streets at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The site of the fire is directly across the street from where a 5-alarmer on April 9, 2012 led to the deaths of two members of the department.
The battle to control the flames, which took more than three hours, was made more difficult by bitter temperatures which froze some hydrants.
SEPTA buses were brought in to keep firefighters and emergency workers warm.
The blaze forced SEPTA to shut down morning rush-hour service on the Market Frankford El for several hours.
Many local businesses along Front Street were damaged by the flames and smoke. Officials must decide if the gutted building, coated with ice, will have to be demolished before some stores can reopen.
Officials say it will most likely be tomorrow before agents and investigators can safely begin looking through the burned out property to determine what caused the fire.
