4-Year-Old Dead, 4 Injured In Feltonville Fire
By Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Police say a four-year-old boy died in a fire that raced through a home in the 200 block of Wyoming Avenue at noontime Monday.
Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer says the fire was reported at 12:07 p.m. and placed under control 41 minutes later. Firefighters found the body of the four-year-old in a bedroom.
Neighbors say they were alerted by screaming from occupants of the home that children were trapped inside.
Fire officials say nine adults and children were able to escape, but the four-year-old could not be saved.
Several neighbors tried to make rescues and saved at least one other child. Fire Commissioner Sawyer says, sadly, the victim's father saved another child from another family, but was unable to make his way through the smoke and flames to rescue his own son.
Sawyer says that smoke detectors, provided to the residents in 2011, did activate, but, he explained, a fire home exit plan is needed to assure everyone can escape safely.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Another adult and child, along with two firefighters, also suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The American Red Cross says it is providing emergency assistance including food, clothing and lodging to 18 people following today's fire. The Red Cross is also providing emotional and spiritual care to family members at this time.
Their partners at Red Paw have been requested to assist with a missing cat from this fire as well.
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