Watch CBS News

Officials: 1 Dead, 1 Critical After Fire Rips Through Southwest Philadelphia Apartment

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A deadly apartment fire is under investigation in Southwest Philadelphia. Crews arrived to find heavy smoke coming from the third floor of the building on the 6500 block of Woodland Avenue just before 6 a.m. Sunday.

Sekou Shariff heard the roar of the flames from his room on the second floor. He tried to alert his neighbors upstairs shortly after the flames broke out.

"The smoke, too much smoke," he said.

Shariff was among the eight residents fire officials say evacuated themselves from the apartment building.

CBS3 is told a man was killed and another was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

sw philly fire
credit: CBS3

"Two victims were found," Assistant Chief Harry Bannan said. "One victim was located in the fire property itself on the third floor. He was removed by firefighters to the fire department medic unit. The medic unit transported that man to Presbyterian. We have since learned that male was pronounced deceased as Presbyterian Hospital. The other male was rescued from the property to the west, 1519 Woodland Avenue. That victim was transported to Presbyterian by medic units and we have since learned he is being transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania."

Residents are worried about where they are going to stay the night.

"I'm sure my family is trying to get in touch with me right now," one neighbor said.

Authorities say there were no working smoke alarms.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

CBS3's Crystal Cranmore contributed to this report.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.