Philadelphia

Firefighters Battle Massive Building Fire Near Temple University

The blaze at a building on 16th and Oxford streets Monday burned out of control for hours, sending neighbors and Temple students out of their homes

What to Know

  • A massive fire in a vacant building left Temple students without power overnight.
  • It took firefighters hours to bring the blaze at 16th and Oxford streets under control.
  • No one was injured in the blaze.

It took firefighters nearly three hours to bring a massive fire at a North Philadelphia building near Temple University under control.

The three-alarm fire started at a vacant building on 16th and Oxford streets Monday around 9:15 p.m.

Residents in nearby buildings were evacuated. No injuries have been reported.

Philadelphia firefighters got the blaze under control just before midnight as some hot spots continued to burn.

An alert was sent out to Temple University students to avoid 16th and Oxford streets as firefighters battled the flames.

"Everything's blocked off... the power's out, everything's out on the whole block," Temple student Hannah Castaldi said. "All we have to do is wait it out, I guess, and see what happens."

More than 750 PECO customers had no power early Tuesday.

Firefighters remained on the scene past daybreak Tuesday, pouring water onto the charred building.

Temple sent a new alert Tuesday morning saying students could return to their homes. Power was restored to all Temple housing by late morning, the university said.

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