South Philly Review: Fire kills two

Two siblings died in a house fire early Tuesday (Staff photo by Greg Bezanis).

A 68-year-old woman and her 73-year-old brother perished in a house fire early Tuesday morning on the 2400 block of South Warnock Street that the fire marshal said was due to careless smoking.

Firefighters pulled the lifeless victims from the flaming home after finding the woman in the first-floor living room and her sibling in the second-story front bedroom, Fire Department Capt. Richard Davison said.

When firefighters got to the scene at 12:28 a.m., they found the blaze very involved on the first floor of the two-story rowhome, Davison said, adding there were no smoke alarms in the dwelling. The blaze was contained by 12:45 a.m.

Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers was on location, along with Engines 47 and Ladder 27, Engine 49, Engine 53, Battalion Chief 1 and Fire Marshal 21.

Wednesday afternoon, as part of the department’s Fire Fatality Program, firefighters from the first-in responding unit — Engine 49, Ladder 27 — returned to the block to install free smoke detectors in homes that needed them and distributed fire prevention material. Additionally, free smoke alarms are available through the Smoke Alarm Hotline at 215-686-1176. The department also offers a \”Remembering When\” fire and fall prevention training program for senior citizens at local senior centers and churches. For locations, call 215-686-1382.

via www.southphillyreview.com