Arson investigated in Philadelphia record company fire

The fire at Philadelphia International Records broke out at about 7 a.m. Sunday and was under control within an hour. Lloyd Ayers is Philadelphia’s Fire Commissioner. He says an investigation at the studios located at South Broad Street, near Spruce is underway.

Did someone intially try to burn down the Philadelphia home of a historic record label? That’s what investigators are trying to find out.

The fire at Philadelphia International Records broke out at about 7 a.m. Sunday and was under control within an hour. Lloyd Ayers is Philadelphia’s Fire Commissioner. He says an investigation at the studios located at South Broad Street, near Spruce is underway.

Ayers: There was a rescue, we do understand that there was supposted to be no one in the building and we’re looking at that. We have the fire marshall, the police arson task force taking a close look at that, but there is no one arrested at this point.

The damage from the fire was extensive, but the commissioner says firefighters worked to preserve as much as possible of the historic building and the artifacts of the “Philly Sound” inside. The original recordings produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff are stored in an underground vault and remain secure and undamaged. Philadelphia International Records’ produced such stars as Teddy Pendergras and Patti LaBelle.