Philadelphia fire kills at least 13, including 7 children

By RON TODT and CLAUDIA LAUER
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The deadliest single fire in Philadelphia in at least a century has killed 13 people, including seven children, and sent two people to hospitals. Officials say those numbers could grow. At a news conference hours after the early Wednesday fire, officials said 26 people were staying at the duplex rowhome. It appears that as many as eight people were able to escape. The cause is still being investigated. A fire official says none of the four smoke detectors in the building appeared to be working. The Philadelphia Housing Authority owned the house. It says the alarms had been inspected annually and at least two had been replaced in 2020.