Two Philadelphia firefighters die in Kensington blaze

Firefighters battling a massive warehouse fire in Kensington also had to contend with several other small fires triggered by hot embers carried from the scene by strong winds. Three were injured and two died this morning.

Update, 1:20 p.m. Flags have been lowered to half-staff for Lt. Robert Neary and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney, and a small memorial has been set up outside Ladder 10 at Kensington and Castor avenues.

 

Update, 10:40 a.m. “These firefighters made the ultimate sacrifice for the people of Philadelphia,” reads a statement issued by Mayor Michael Nutter. “This is a tremendous loss for their families and the City of Philadelphia. My prayers go out to their families and to the Philadelphia Fire Department whose members have lost two of their brothers.”

Nutter is due back this afternoon from a trip to Tallahassee.

 

Update, 10 a.m. Five firefighters were in the collapse, but was was able to extract himself, as WHYY/NewsWorks’ Emma Jacobs has learned. One firefighter remains hospitalized for his injuries in unknown condition.

Update, 8:55 a.m. Two firefighters have died and two more have been injured in the blaze after a collapse in the warehouse. The deceased firefighters, ages 25 and 60, have not been identified.

The main fire was taken under control after 5 a.m. this morning, about 2 hours after it was first reported.

A dispatch supervisor says several other small fires started by the blowing embers were reported under control.

Police began banging on the doors of nearby homes shortly after the fire was reported. No injuries were reported.

The Red Cross has set up a shelter at a nearby school for evacuated residents

Some residents reported hearing explosions coming from inside the warehouse.

 

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