Candle Causes Five Alarm Fire in Northeast

Four firefighters hurt in blaze released from hospital

One candle caused a fire that injured more than 19 people including four firefighters in a devastating Northeast Philly apartment fire over the weekend.

Flames broke out around 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning in a third floor apartment at the Austin Manor Apartments at 7024 Rising Sun Avenue and eventually grew to five alarms, officials said.

Smoke from the fire was so thick, some residents were forced to jump from their windows.

An open-flame candle in apartment B21 started the fire, Philadelphia fire commish Lloyd Ayers said Monday.

Four firefighters injured in the fire were treated and released from the hospital, he said.

The Red Cross has relocated 21 families who lived in the complex.

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