Man dies in Philly rowhome fire as several others – including woman who jumped – are hurt

A man died and about one dozen adults and children -- including a woman who was badly hurt after she jumped from the smoky blaze -- escaped from a burning Philadelphia rowhome early Wednesday.

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Flames broke out inside the Dennie Street home -- near Germantown Avenue -- in the Nicetown neighborhood around 2:10 a.m., Assistant Philadelphia Fire Chief Harry Bannan and Philadelphia police said.

Firefighters showed up minutes later to "encounter heavy fire on the first floor of a three-story, middle-of-the-row property and heavy smoke throughout the property," Bannan said.

"At the time of the fire there were 12 occupants residing in this property," Bannan said.

Neighbors told firefighters that someone had jumped from the home and others remained inside, officials said.

Firefighters began to battle the flames, while searching for victims.

They found a woman in her 30s who had jumped behind the home with "serious injuries," Bannan said. She was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment where police said she was listed in critical condition.

They also found a man -- believed to be 62 years old - dead on the first floor, firefighters and police said.

Next door neighbors told firefighters that they helped people escape from the fire, Bannan said. A woman handed an infant to a man through the third-floor window of the adjacent home. The neighbor also helped that woman, two men and four other kids into the back window of the neighboring home.

"They all escaped from the rear of their property into the third floor rear of the property on the right," Bannan said.

The young mother, her child and two other adults were treated at area hospitals, Bannan said.

Philadelphia police said they also transported a 13th person from the home to a hospital for treatment. That man -- who is in his 30s -- was being treat in critical condition.

At least six other people were hospitalized for undisclosed injuries, police said.

Firefighters didn't hear any smoke alarms blaring when they arrived, but the fire marshal was investigating if smoke alarms could have been damaged by fire before crews arrived., Bannan said.

The American Red Cross would help the residents left out of their homes as the cause of the fire remained under investigation, Bannan said.