13 died in house fire in Philadelphia

There was a fire on the second floor of the building when the local fire department arrived at the municipal apartment block in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia. After 50 minutes, the flames were extinguished.

Philadelphia is located in the state of Pennsylvania, in the eastern United States.

The Pennsylvania Fire Department confirms that 13 people died in the fire. Seven of them were children.

Two more people have been taken to hospital.

According to the local fire service, it is too early to say what caused the fire, but an investigation has been opened.

There are said to be four smoke alarms in the building, which are owned by Philadelphia’s housing authorities, but none of them were in use.

Around 26 people lived in the apartment block. It is not known how many of them were in the building during the fire, but eight people managed to get out of the building on their own.

Philadelphia spokesman Jim Kenney calls it a tragic day.

“This is without a doubt one of the most tragic days in the city’s history – the loss of so many people in such a tragic way,” Kenney told reporters on the spot.

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