'Oh My God, The Flames Are Everywhere': Two-Alarm Fire Rips Through Several North Philadelphia Homes
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Cellphone video caught intense flames ripping through several North Philadelphia homes. Firefighters rushed to the 1100 block of Rising Sun Avenue in Franklinville just after 3:30 a.m. on Saturday.
The fire spread to five homes, four were on Rising Sun Avenue. The fifth was on the 1100 block of West Ontario Street.
Authorities say the homes on Rising Sun Avenue were not occupied but a family of five lives in the home on West Ontario Street. That family told CBS3 they are temporarily staying with relatives.
Residents from nearby homes were removed just as a precaution and some are concerned about smoke and water damage affecting their homes.
"My cousin called me and told me our house was on fire. I just wanted to make sure the kids and babies, everybody was safe. That's all I care about, the house is replaceable, lives you can't," Joylin Green said.
Authorities say it's a miracle no firefighters and residents were injured in the blaze, but 15 people from nearby homes were temporarily displaced.
"It was scary. When my sister-in-law called me outside, she called me to the phone. I didn't answer the phone at first, I just said, 'Oh my God, the flames were everywhere,'" neighbor Anna Terra-Forte said.
Residents started returning to their homes around 9 a.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
CBS3's Dan Koob contributed to this report.
