One Year Later: Vigil for Victims of Post-Christmas Fire

Liberian immigrants remember the seven that died last year

By ASHA BEH and VINCE LATTANZIO

Updated 9:05 PM EDT, Sun, Dec 27, 2009

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NBCPhiladelphia

Immigrants from the Liberian community in Philadelphia held vigil Sunday for the seven people who died in a fire after Christmas last year.

Dozens packed the Praise Family Worship Church on Greenway Avenue to remember the lives of the those that died on that tragic day.

Misuse of a kerosene heater was ruled the official cause of the house fire that broke out on the evening of Friday, Dec. 26, 2008 at 6418 Elmwood Avenue in Southwest Philadelphia.

The fire started in the basement of the three-story brick duplex and quickly engulfed the home. 53 firefighters responded to the blaze, according to Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers.

Liberian Community Mourns Fire Victims

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Liberian Community Mourns Fire Victims

26-year-old Vivian Teah, 24-year-old Eliott Teah, 17-year-old Jennifer Teah, 1-year-old Zyhire Wright-Teah, 8-year-old Ramere Dosso, 6-year-old Mariam Dosso and 54-year-old Henry Gbokoloi died in the fire.

Four people survived the fire, which officials said was preventable. A preliminary investigation showed the basement had one exit to the exterior and that the interior basement stairs had been removed, the fire department said in a statement.

The fire commissioner also said there were no smoke detectors in the house.