On Wednesday January 5, 2022, a terrible fire killed twelve people, including eight children, in the city of Philadelphia. None of the four smoke detectors in the building were working.
The city of Philadelphia is in mourning. On Wednesday January 5, 2022, twelve people, including eight children, lost their lives in the fire in their building. “This is without a doubt one of the most tragic days in our city’s history, the loss of so many people in such a tragic way, said Jim Kenney, the mayor of Philadelphia, after the announcement of the terrible death toll. (…) My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the victims. I can’t imagine how unimaginable it is for them.”
“It was terrible, (…) it’s a terrible record. It’s one of the worst fires I’ve seen”, said Craig Murphy, a representative of firefighters in practice for 35 years, during an improvised press briefing on Twitter. Mobilized around 6:40 a.m., the firefighters faced a “intense fire coming from the second floor of a house” located in the residential area of Fairmount, in the center of Philadelphia. According to Craig Murphy, it took more than 50 minutes to bring the fire under control. Eight people managed to evacuate the small building, but 12 others remained trapped in the flames. Unfortunately, the firefighters were unable to rescue them in time.
“There were four smoke detectors but none worked”
An investigation has been opened to determine the causes of the fire. “It’s not necessarily considered suspicious, but we have everyone on deck due to the scale of this fire.”said the fire department representative. Whatever the origin of the flames, Craig Murphy denounces a major flaw in the building’s security system: “There were four smoke detectors but none worked,” he points out.
Informed, the White House wanted to react. “My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic Philadelphia fire“¸ tweeted First Lady Jill Biden on the evening of January 5.
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Firefighters in action
According to Craig Murphy, it took more than 50 minutes to bring the fire under control.
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Smoke detectors did not work
“There were four smoke detectors but none worked,” said Craig Murphy, firefighter representative on site.
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Help arrived too late.
Twelve people, including eight children, could not be saved.
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Firefighters in action
The firefighters faced “intense fire”.
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A hospital emergency room
Twelve people could not be revived.
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Firefighters in action
Eight people got out of the building in time.
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Philadelphia
“This is without a doubt one of the most tragic days in our city’s history, the loss of so many people in such a tragic way,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney.
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Jill Biden
Jill Biden
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Jill Biden
Informed, the American First Lady, Jill Biden, spoke on Twitter.
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Jill Biden
“My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic Philadelphia fire,” First Lady Jill Biden tweeted on the evening of January 5.