Three Alarm Fire At Apartment Building In West Philadelphia
by Cherri Gregg
WEST PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Crews responded to a three alarm fire in West Philadelphia Sunday morning.
Fire crews arrived to the 4300 block of Chestnut Street to find smoke and flames shooting from the fourth story of the apartment building. More than 100 people were evacuated.
"It's tough fire fighting conditions-- they really went in and were very aggressive," said Fire Commissioner Adam Theil, who commended the 100 fire fighters who helped control the 5 a.m. fire that engulfed part of the fourth floor of the Netherlands Apartments, comprised of six buildings on Chestnut Street beginning at 43rd.
"We were able to contain the fire to one floor of one building, of course there's going to be smoke and other damage throughout that building," Thiel said.
While some residents escaped major damage, Feroz Iqbal lived on the fourth floor of the building and stood looking at his apartment- where the windows were blown out
"Everything is gone and I have nothing to celebrate to my mom," he said.
Iqbal graduated from Drexel University on Saturday and got the call this morning. Everything he owns is gone.
"I cried all morning," said Iqbal.
No word yet on the cause of the fire.
