Philadelphia

Boy Dies as Fire Tears Through Southwest Philly Home

Fire tears through home on Ardell street leaving an 8-year-old boy trapped

A boy died and four people were hurt as an overnight fire tore through a Southwest Philadelphia home.

The row home along Ardell Street near Wheeler Street caught fire shortly before 1 a.m.

Two men at nearby tavern smelled smoke and jumped into action. They found an older man on the front porch roof yelling that his grandson was trapped on the second floor. They convinced the man to not go inside.

The men, who say they called 911, tried to go upstairs but the fire was too bad.

Firefighters arrived minutes later and rescued the 7-year-old boy, who witnesses sad was badly burned in the fire, and the grandfather.

The boy later died, the boy's aunt said. The fire marshal's office said they were investigating a deadly fire.

A 6-year-old girl and two adults escaped the flames on their own. The girl suffered smoke inhalation.

All five people in the home were taken to area hospitals. The girl and two adults are expected to be OK, the fire department said. The condition of the fifth victim wasn’t revealed.

It was unclear if the home had working smoke detectors.

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