Officials: 4 dead, including 3 children after rowhome fire in Kensington

Firefighters arrived to heavy flames coming out of the home, not much was left.

Derek Bowmer, the Executive Officer of the Philadelphia Fire Department, said three juveniles and one adult male are dead as a result of the fire.

The fire broke out shortly after 2:00 a.m. Sunday on the 3200 block of Hartville Street.

“Our men and women of the fire department did a valiant effort to try and make saves here, unfortunately we have a tragedy ending this morning,” Bowmer said.

A 38-year-old woman was able to escape the flames and jumped out a window. She was taken to Temple Hospital to be treated for burns.

According to Principal Charlotte Gillum-Maddox, who spoke at a press conference held by fire officials Sunday afternoon, two of the children attended Lewis Elkin Elementary School.

Action News spoke with a neighbor who said he lost his best friend in the fire.

“I said where’s my best friend, I said are you kidding are you sure he’s back there because the house is on fire I can’t go in there,” said Angel Rivera, a neighbor.

Rivera said he was talking to the woman before she was taken to the hospital, he described her body as being badly burned.

“He told her to make yourself out basically jump out the window and I’ll go out with the kids.. you know those were his last words,” said Rivera as he described his conversation with the woman.

Rivera was distraught and couldn’t make sense of the tragedy on his block. A woman tells us her husband is the mans brother who didn’t make it, he was too shaken up to speak.

“Life is short, you know so if you do got kids out there hug them, treasure them because you never know,” Rivera said.

Officials said the house did not have working smoke detectors, they encourage anyone who does not have working smoke detectors to please call 311. They will come out and install them.