Jan 21, 2008 6:30 am US/Eastern
5-Alarm Fire Destroys Kensington Warehouse
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Over 100 firefighters battled a five-alarm fire that engulfed a building in Philadelphia Sunday evening but frigid weather conditions complicated efforts.
CBS
Frigid weather conditions complicated efforts of more than 100 firefighters battling a five-alarm blaze that engulfed a warehouse in Philadelphia Sunday night.
Flames broke out at about 4:30 p.m. at inside the building at Front and Master Streets in the city's Kensington neighborhood. The fire raged for nearly three hours before it being declared under control at 7:30 p.m.
"It was a heavy firefight as you could see. We had a couple of hot points in the fire where we had embers strewn all over the place," Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said.
Crews sprayed water on top of building neighboring the Point of Purchase Furniture Plant. The building is located in a mostly industrial neighborhood and houses a furniture manufacturing company.
"Lot of laminates and wood, glues, and different flammable materials that they use in their processes," Ayers said.
The frigid temperatures presented complications.
"The weather was tough. It's slippery. We have to watch for the fall hazard that we have when we put water out when it is this cold. We got a lot of support from the Streets Department. They came right away, supplied us with salt trucks so our members could get that out and sort of cut down on the hazard," Ayers said.
About 150 firefighters were dispatched to fight the blaze.
SEPTA halted service of the Market-Frankford Line in the area while nearby streets remained closed and the city opened a shelter for evacuees.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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(CBS3/AP)
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