US: 12 dead, including 8 children, in Philadelphia blaze

Philadelphia: Philadelphia officials on Wednesday (local time) updated the death toll in the Philadelphia fire saying that 12 were killed, including 8 children.

“Fire officials now confirm that 12 people — eight children and four adults — died in the fire on N. 23rd Street. That total is one less than the number reported in an earlier press conference when recovery operations were still ongoing,” an updated news release from the city said, reported CNN.

Philadelphia Deputy Fire Commissioner Craig Murphy initially said 13 people were killed; two others were taken to hospitals, and eight people were able to escape by themselves, reported CNN.

Firefighters faced heavy smoke, heat and limited visibility on all floors when they entered the building, according to the release, and were able to rescue one child, who did not survive.

The fire took place at a home that records show is owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority, a municipal agency that leases homes to people with low income. The three-storey row home was converted into two apartments, reported CNN.

Firefighters responded to flames around 6:40 am Wednesday at the row house at 869 N. 23rd Street in the city’s Fairmount neighbourhood.

Twenty-six people lived in the three-storey building — eight on the first floor, and 18 on the second and third floors, fire officials said.

The housing authority was not aware 26 people were living in the building, said Dinesh Indala, the agency’s senior executive vice president of operations. The agency is checking how many were allowed to live there, he said, reported CNN.