Breaking news struck the Rhawnhurst neighborhood of Northeast Philly on Thursday night as a fire erupted, displacing around 50 residents living in an apartment building.
The blaze ignited at approximately 9:30 p.m. on the 7400 block of Roosevelt Boulevard near Cottman Avenue. Over 150 firefighters and 57 vehicles rushed to the scene as the fire quickly escalated to four alarms by 10:30 p.m. Fortunately, the fire was brought under control shortly after midnight, thanks to the swift actions of the firefighters.
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All the apartment units were evacuated, and three children were treated for minor injuries. Miraculously, no firefighters were harmed during the rescue mission. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.
To assist the displaced residents, Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management and the Red Cross established a shelter at Samuel Fels High School, located at 5500 Langdon St. A total of 42 people sought refuge at the shelter overnight.
Overnight, the Red Cross & @PhilaOEM supported 42 people at our Samuel Fels HS shelter in Northeast Philadelphia. The shelter remains open today for those who are displaced by Thursday night’s apartment fire at 7400 Roosevelt Blvd. pic.twitter.com/WR6ZG3vQWV
— Red Cross Philadelphia (@RedCrossPhilly) July 12, 2024
Philadelphia OEM has announced that they are currently not accepting donations until the needs of the displaced residents are assessed.